toasting

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

toast¹ /toʊst/   n. [uncountable]

1. sliced bread browned by dry heat.

v. 

2. (of bread, etc.) to (cause to) become brown by dry heat: [~ + object]
   to toast a few slices of bread.
   [no object]
   This bread doesn't toast well.
3. [~ + object] to heat or warm thoroughly at a fire, as one's hands or feet.

toast² /toʊst/   n. [countable]

1. a few words of welcome, congratulations, etc., said just before drinking (usually, an alcoholic beverage) to honor a person, event, etc.:
   I propose a toast to all our good friends gathered here tonight.
2. a person, event, etc., honored with raised glasses before drinking.
3. a person, esp. an entertainer, who is widely celebrated or famous:
   [usually singular* the + ~ + of] She was the toast of five countries.

v. [~ + object]

4. to propose or drink a toast to or in honor of:
   They toasted the newlyweds.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

toast¹ (tōst),  n. 

1. sliced bread that has been browned by dry heat.
2. be toast, [Slang.] to be or become someone who is doomed or ruined;
   get into trouble:
   If you come here again, you're toast!

v.t. 

3. to brown, as bread or cheese, by exposure to heat.
4. to heat or warm thoroughly at a fire:
   She toasted her feet at the fireplace.

v.i. 

5. to become toasted.

• *torstos), past participle of torrēre to parch, roast, from a base *tors-, akin to Gothic thaursus, Old Norse thurr dry; (noun, nominal) late Middle English to(o)ste, derivative of the verb, verbal; see torrid, thirst
• Vulgar Latin *tostāre, derivative of Latin tostus (
• Middle French toster
• (verb, verbal) Middle English to(o)sten 1350–1400

toast² (tōst),  n. 

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.

v.t. 

6. to drink to the health of or in honor of;
   propose a toast to or in honor of.
7. to propose as a toast.

v.i. 

8. to propose or drink a toast.

• 1690–1700; fig. use of toast¹ (noun, nominal); the name of a lady so honored was said to give flavor to the drink comparable to that given by spiced toast

toast¹, +n. 

1. Slang Terms be toast, to be doomed, ruined, or in trouble:
   If you're late to work again, you're toast!

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

toast / təʊst/ noun

1. sliced bread browned by exposure to heat, usually under a grill, over a fire, or in a toaster
2. be toast ⇒ to face certain destruction or defeat

verb

1. (transitive) 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

Etymology: 14th Century: from Old French toster, from Latin tōstus parched, baked from torrēre to dry with heat; see thirst, torrid

toast / 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

verb

1. to propose or drink a toast to (a person or thing)
2. (intransitive) to add vocal effects to a prerecorded track: a disc-jockey technique
   See also rap16

Etymology: 17th Century (in the sense: a lady to whom the company is asked to drink): from toast¹,from the idea that the name of the lady would flavour the drink like a piece of spiced toast

ˈtoaster noun