from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Toast \Toast\, n. [OF. toste, or tost['e]e, toasted bread. See
{Toast}, v.]
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.
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My sober evening let the tankard bless,
With toast embrowned, and fragrant nutmeg fraught.
--T. Warton.
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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.
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It now came to the time of Mr. Jones to give a toast
. . . who could not refrain from mentioning his dear
Sophia. --Fielding.
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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.
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{Toast rack}, a small rack or stand for a table, having
partitions for holding slices of dry toast.
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