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toast

1. To dry and brown by the heat of a fire; as, to toast bread.

2. To warm thoroughly; as, to toast the feet.

3. To name when a health is proposed to be drunk; to drink to the health, or in honor, of; as, to toast a lady.

Origin: OF. Toster to roast, toast, fr. L. Torrere, tostum, to parch, roast. See Torrid.

1. Bread dried and browned before a fire, usually in slices; also, a kind of food prepared by putting slices of toasted bread into milk, gravy, etc. My sober evening let the tankard bless, With toast embrowned, and fragrant nutmeg fraught. (T. Warton)

2. A lady in honor of whom persons or a company are invited to drink; so called because toasts were formerly put into the liquor, as a great delicacy. It now came to the time of Mr. Jones to give a toast . . . Who could not refrain from mentioning his dear Sophia. (Fielding)

3. Hence, any person, especially a person of distinction, in honor of whom a health is drunk; hence, also, anything so commemorated; a sentiment, as The land we live in, The day we celebrate, etc. Toast rack, a small rack or stand for a table, having partitions for holding slices of dry toast.

Origin: OF. Toste, or tostee, toasted bread. See Toast.