ENGLISH
REFERENCE

toast

n. uncountable
A1 Beginner US //ˈtoʊst// UK //tˈəʊst// toast Archaic Slang

n. sliced bread that has been heated until it is brown and crisp. You usually eat it for breakfast with butter or jam.

n. sliced bread made crisp and brown by exposure to radiant heat. Also used to describe a call to drink in honour of a person or event.


SIMPLE

I usually have two pieces of toast for breakfast.

CONTEXTUAL

She spread a thick layer of orange marmalade over her toast while the coffee was still brewing.

COMPLEX

The golden-brown toast provided a necessary textural contrast to the soft poached eggs and creamy avocado served alongside it.

Synonyms
Etymology 1

From Middle English tost, from the verb tosten (see below). Sense 3 is according to the Oxford English Dictionary a figurative application of sense 1 dating to 1674. It began as an epithet for a lady being supposed to flavour a bumper like a spiced toast placed in that drink. (In this context, a bumper is a drinking vessel filled to the brim.)

Etymology 2

From Middle English tosten, from Old French toster (“to roast, grill”), from Latin tostus (“grilled, burnt”), from verb torreō (“to burn, grill”).

Usage

Uncountable when referring to the food; use 'a piece of' or 'a slice of' to count it. Countable only when referring to a celebratory drink.

Pitfall

I would like two toastsI would like two pieces of toastToast is uncountable when referring to bread; you must use a counter like 'pieces' or 'slices'.

Idioms4 entries

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