Wu-Tang · 4EVA

Toast. The American Heritage Dictionary defines toast as follows:

toast 1 (tst)
v. toast·ed, toast·ing, toasts
v.tr.
1. To heat and brown (bread, for example) by placing in a toaster or an oven or close to a fire.
2. To warm thoroughly, as before a fire: toast one's feet.
v.intr.
To become toasted: This bread toasts well.
n.
1. Sliced bread heated and browned.
2. Slang One that is doomed, in trouble, or unworthy of further consideration.

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[Middle English tosten, from Old French toster, from Vulgar Latin *tostre, frequentative of Latin torrre, to parch, burn; see ters- in Indo-European roots.]

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toast 2 (tst)
n.
1.
a. The act of raising a glass and drinking in honor of or to the health of a person or thing.
b. A proposal to drink to someone or something or a speech given before the taking of such a drink.
c. The one honored by a toast.
2. A person receiving much attention or acclaim: the toast of Broadway.
v. toast·ed, toast·ing, toasts
v.tr.
To drink to the health or honor of.
v.intr.
To propose or drink a toast.

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[Perhaps from toast1 (from the use of spiced toast to flavor drinks).]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

While the second meaning of toast is a good one, I find the brown bread, crunchy and sometimes burned to be unacceptable.