toast

toast — noun

1. bread slices that turn brown and crunchy on the outside when put under strong he

1.nounA1
Definition

bread slices that turn brown and crunchy on the outside when put under strong heat.

Example

Meera dipped her toast into the soft-boiled egg.

collocation: dip toast into [food]

The smell of burnt toast filled the entire kitchen.

Common collocations
  • slice of toast
  • piece of toast
  • buttered toast
  • burnt toast
  • hot toast
  • whole-wheat toast
Synonyms

Grammar Patterns

piece / slice of toast

make / burn / eat toast

Usage Note

Uncountable when referring to the food — 'a toast' is incorrect. Say 'a piece of toast' or 'a slice of toast'.

Common Mistakes

I ate a toast for breakfast.
I ate a slice of toast for breakfast.
toast is uncountable when it refers to bread.
Can I have two toasts?
Can I have two slices of toast?
use 'slice' or 'piece' to count portions.

2. a short ceremony at a social gathering where people raise their glasses and drin

2.nounB1
Definition

a short ceremony at a social gathering where people raise their glasses and drink together to express respect, good wishes, or celebration for someone or something.

Example

Piotr proposed a toast to his parents at their anniversary dinner.

phrase: propose a toast to

The guests raised their glasses for a toast to the newlyweds.

Common collocations
  • propose a toast
  • make a toast
  • offer a toast
  • drink a toast to
  • raise a glass in toast
  • lead the toast
Synonyms
  • tribute

    broader; can be any act or statement of respect, not necessarily involving drinking

  • salute

    a gesture of respect, often military; can involve raising a glass but also other forms

  • cheers

    informal; a quick clink of glasses without a speech

Grammar Patterns

propose / make / offer a toast to [someone]

Usage Note

Often follows 'propose', 'make', 'offer', or 'drink'. The person being honored is introduced by 'to': 'a toast to the bride'. The host typically gives a short speech before everyone drinks.

Common Mistakes

Let's make a toast for the birthday boy.
Let's make a toast to the birthday boy.
the preposition after 'toast' is 'to', not 'for'.

3. someone that a particular group or community greatly admires and holds in high r

3.nounC1
Definition

someone that a particular group or community greatly admires and holds in high regard for what they have done.

Example

Asher became the toast of the film festival after winning the top prize.

pattern: the toast of [event/place]

The young chef was the toast of the neighborhood after she opened her restaurant.

Common collocations
  • toast of the town
  • toast of the party
  • toast of Broadway
  • toast of the season
Synonyms
  • darling

    similar meaning but more affectionate; 'the darling of the art world'

  • hero

    implies courage or noble action rather than popularity

  • star

    focuses on fame and visibility; less about admiration

Grammar Patterns

the toast of [place/field/group]

Usage Note

Almost always appears in the fixed expression 'the toast of [place/group]'. The word 'toast' in this sense comes from the historical practice of honoring someone by drinking to their health. Widely used in entertainment and arts journalism.

Common Mistakes

She is a toast of the town.
She is the toast of the town.
requires 'the', not 'a'.

4. a situation where a person or thing is certain to fail, be destroyed, or get int

4.nounC1
Definition

a situation where a person or thing is certain to fail, be destroyed, or get into serious trouble — for example, a student caught cheating before an exam, or a project discovered to have a major flaw.

Example

If the manager finds out you broke the machine, you're toast.

informal: be toast = be in serious trouble

With no battery left and a storm coming, the hikers knew they were toast.

Common collocations
  • be toast
  • you're toast
  • we're toast
  • the [something] is toast
Synonyms
  • done for

    similar register; slightly less dramatic

  • finished

    neutral register; can be used in more formal contexts

  • doomed

    more dramatic; implies unavoidable destruction

Grammar Patterns

[be] toast

Usage Note

Highly informal. Only used as a predicate after 'be' — never before a noun ('a toast situation' is wrong). Similar in feel to 'done for' or 'finished'. Common in casual speech, movies, and TV dialogue.

Common Mistakes

He is a toast if the boss finds out.
He is toast if the boss finds out.
no article 'a' before 'toast' in this sense.
Idioms

be toast

idiom

Someone who is toast is in a very bad situation and will likely fail or be punished.

If the boss finds out you lied, you are toast.

After missing three deadlines, Maya knew she was toast.

drink a toast to somebody

idiom

To raise your glass and drink in order to show respect or good wishes for someone.

At the wedding, everyone drank a toast to the happy couple.

We drank a toast to our friend who just got a promotion.

toast — verb

Word family

  • toaster
    nounB1
  • toasting
    adjectiveB2
  • toasty
    adjectiveB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

All four words involve showing respect or recognition, but they differ in formality and setting. 'Toast' specifically means the act of raising a glass and drinking in someone's honor during a social event; it nearly always involves alcohol (or a substitute) and often follows a short speech. 'Tribute' is much broader — it can be a speech, a written piece, a gift, or any act that honors someone, with no drinking required. 'Cheers' is an informal interjection used when people clink glasses; it functions more as a casual greeting or quick salute than a formal expression of respect. 'Salute' is a formal gesture, often military, that involves a hand movement rather than drinking, though in some contexts it can refer to raising a glass. In a sentence: 'At the retirement party, several colleagues gave tribute speeches, then everyone stood to toast the retiree with glasses raised, calling out cheers as they drank.'

tribute ↗toast ↗cheerssalute ↗

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

Toast comes from the Latin verb 'torrere', meaning 'to burn, parch, or scorch'. Its past participle 'tostus' gave rise to the Old French 'toster' (to roast), which entered English around the 1300s. The drinking-related meaning has a colourful 17th-century origin: at the time, people would float a piece of spiced toast in a glass of wine or ale. The person being honored was compared to the toast — both added flavour and warmth to the gathering. By the 1700s, 'toast' had come to mean both the bread preparation and the act of drinking to someone's health, as well as the person being honored.