toast

¹ American  

[tohst] / toʊst /

noun

1. sliced bread that has been browned by dry heat.

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verb (used with object)

1. to brown, as bread or cheese, by exposure to heat.

2. to heat or warm thoroughly at a fire.

   She toasted her feet at the fireplace.

verb (used without object)

1. to become toasted.

idioms

1. be toast, to be doomed, ruined, or in trouble.

   If you're late to work again, you're toast!

toast ² American  

[tohst] / toʊst /

noun

1. a salutation or a few words of congratulation, good wishes, appreciation, remembrance, etc., uttered immediately before drinking to a person, event, etc.

2. a person, event, sentiment, or the like, in honor of whom another or others raise their glasses in salutation and then drink.

3. an act or instance of thus drinking.

   They drank a toast to the queen.

4. a call on another or others to drink to some person or thing.

5. a person who is celebrated as with the spirited homage of a toast.

   She was the toast of five continents.

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verb (used with object)

1. to drink to the health of or in honor of; propose a toast to or in honor of.

2. to propose as a toast.

verb (used without object)

1. to propose or drink a toast.

toast ¹ British  

/ təʊst /

noun

1. a tribute or proposal of health, success, etc, given to a person or thing by a company of people and marked by raising glasses and drinking together

2. a person or thing honoured by such a tribute or proposal

3. (esp formerly) an attractive woman to whom such tributes are frequently made

   she was the toast of the town

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verb

1. to propose or drink a toast to (a person or thing)

2. (intr) to add vocal effects to a prerecorded track: a disc-jockey technique See also rap 1

toast ² British  

/ təʊst /

noun

1. sliced bread browned by exposure to heat, usually under a grill, over a fire, or in a toaster

2. informal to face certain destruction or defeat

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verb

1. (tr) to brown under a grill or over a fire

   to toast cheese

2. to warm or be warmed in a similar manner

   to toast one's hands by the fire

toast More Idioms  

1. see warm as toast.

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Other Word Forms

• toaster
  noun

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Etymology

Origin of toast¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English verb tosten, from Old French toster, from Vulgar Latin tostāre (unattested), derivative of Latin tostus (from unattested torstos ), past participle of torrēre “to parch, roast”, akin to Gothic thaursus, Old Norse thurr “dry”; noun derivative of the verb; see also torrid; see origin at thirst ( def. )

Origin of toast²

First recorded in 1690–1700; figurative use of toast ¹ (noun); the name of a lady so honored was said to give flavor to the drink comparable to that given by spiced toast

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Explanation

What do you get when you heat a piece of bread long enough for it to become golden-brown on both sides? Congratulations, you've made a piece of toast! To make toast, you simply toast bread, or heat it on a grill, in a toaster, or in an oven. People put all kinds of things on toast, from butter to jam to baked beans. Making or giving a toast is another thing all together — this kind of toast is a brief speech given while raising glasses and drinking together: "A toast to the birthday girl!" And if you are so highly regarded in a particular area that you're almost famous, you're "the toast of the town."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

toast

I love tossing it with cubetti pasta, peas and canned white beans for a quick pasta salad, but it’s also fantastic smeared on sourdough toast and piled with olive oil-marinated vegetables.

From Salon ● Nov. 5, 2026

My first instinct was to go the baked-macaroni-and-cheese route: lightly toast some panko, scatter it over the cabbage, then return the whole thing to the oven.

From Salon ● Oct. 30, 2026

Akriila’s new album “Lucy Miró al Mundo y Notó Que Está Girando” has made her the toast of the Latin indiesphere.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2026

A decade ago, they were reigning 5,000-1 Premier League champions and the toast of the world.

From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026

Perhaps someday he was once again able to enjoy a piece of toast without weeping.

From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood

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Related Words

• crisp
• dry
• grill
• roast
• warm

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