toast

Meanings

1. 1noununcountable

   Sliced bread that has been browned by heat, usually in a toaster.

   Grammar: Uncountable when referring to the food: 'a piece of toast', not 'a toast'.

   Patterns

   • a piece of toast
   • slice of toast
   • make toast

   I had toast and jam for breakfast.

   She put two slices of bread in the toaster to make toast.

   The toast was burnt, so he scraped it.

2. 2nouncountable

   An act of raising a glass and drinking in honor of someone or something.

   Grammar: Countable: you can propose a toast, or several toasts.

   Patterns

   • propose a toast
   • drink a toast to someone
   • a toast to something

   The best man proposed a toast to the bride and groom.

   We drank a toast to our success.

   He raised his glass in a toast to the new year.

3. 3verbtransitive

   To raise a glass and drink in honor of someone or something.

   Grammar: Takes an object: toast the couple.

   Patterns

   • toast someone
   • toast something
   • toast to someone

   Let's toast the newlyweds!

   They toasted the team's victory with champagne.

   He toasted his friend's promotion.

4. 4verbtransitive

   To brown bread or other food by heat.

   Grammar: Takes an object: toast the bread.

   Patterns

   • toast bread
   • toast something
   • toast oneself

   She toasted the bread under the grill.

   We toasted marshmallows over the fire.

   He toasted himself by the heater.

5. 5adjectivenot comparableinformal

   In serious trouble or ruined; doomed.

   Grammar: Used informally after 'be': be toast.

   Patterns

   • be toast

   If we miss this deadline, we're toast.

   After the scandal, his career was toast.

Word forms

Common combinations

a piece of toast

He ate a piece of toast with butter.

propose a toast

The host proposed a toast to the guests.

toast the bread

Toast the bread until it's golden brown.

be toast

If you forget her birthday, you're toast.

Synonyms and how they differ

bread

The general word for the food before it is toasted; 'toast' is specifically browned by heat.

grill

A cooking method that can brown food, but 'toast' is often used for bread in a toaster.

honor

As a verb, 'honor' is more general; 'toast' specifically involves raising a glass and drinking.

Word family

toaster noun

An electrical appliance for making toast.

toasted adjective

Describing food that has been browned by heat, e.g., toasted sandwich.

toasting noun

The act of making toast or proposing a toast.

Commonly confused: toast or tossed?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “toast”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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