Toast — Defs

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

imp. & p. p. Toasted; p. pr. & vb. n. Toasting

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.

02 n. 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.

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.

Phrases & compounds

Toast rack — a small rack or stand for a table, having partitions for holding slices of dry toast.