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Meaning & use

a toad

noun·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ə təʊd/
US/ə toʊd/

Meanings

  1. nouncountable

    A small dry-skinned animal that lives on land and in water, looks like a frog, and moves by jumping or crawling.

    Grammar: Countable: use 'a toad' for one, 'toads' for more than one, and 'the toad' when both speaker and listener know which one.

    Patterns

    • a toad in something
    • a toad on something
    • see/find a toad

    A toad was sitting under the flowerpot, completely still.

    My little brother caught a toad near the pond and then let it go.

    Unlike a frog, a toad usually has dry, bumpy skin and prefers to walk rather than leap.

  2. nouncountabledisapprovinginformal

    A person whom the speaker dislikes or finds unpleasant, used as an insult.

    Grammar: Countable and countable with 'a'; this sense is always negative and is used of people, not animals.

    Patterns

    • call someone a toad
    • a nasty/ugly toad

    He called his rival a toad and stormed out of the room.

    She thought the man who cheated her was a real toad.

    Don't be such a toad — just apologize to her.

Word forms

pluraltoads

Common combinations

a toad in the garden
We found a toad in the garden after the rain.
a toad under a stone
A toad was hiding under a stone by the path.
a common toad
The common toad is found in many parts of Europe.
a toad's skin
A toad's skin is dry and covered in small bumps.
hop like a toad
The children hopped like toads across the playground.
a toad croaks
At night, a toad croaks near the water.

Synonyms and how they differ

frog
A frog is a similar animal with smooth, wet skin and long back legs for jumping; a toad is drier and bumpier and often walks.
creep
As an insult for a person, 'creep' is more common in everyday speech; 'toad' sounds old-fashioned and slightly literary or childish.

Word family

toadstool noun
A mushroom with a round top, often poisonous; not a kind of toad.
toady noun
A person who flatters others to get favors; from the idea of a toad's follower.
toadish adjective
Rare; describing something like a toad, especially in being ugly or unpleasant.

Commonly confused: a toad or toad? a toad or frog?

a toad vs toad

Learners sometimes confuse 'toad' with 'toed' (having toes), which sounds the same in some accents. 'Toad' is the animal; 'toed' is used in phrases like 'three-toed sloth'.

a toad vs frog

Frogs and toads are different animals: frogs usually have smooth skin and jump, while toads have dry, bumpy skin and often walk. The words are not interchangeable in careful speech.

Practice

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