roast Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a piece of meat roasted or for roasting and of a size for slicing into more than one portion
    joint.
  2. noun negative criticism
    knock.
  3. verb cook with dry heat, usually in an oven
    • roast the turkey
  4. verb subject to laughter or ridicule
    laugh at; make fun; ridicule; blackguard; poke fun; guy; rib; jest at.
    • The satirists ridiculed the plans for a new opera house
    • The students poked fun at the inexperienced teacher
    • His former students roasted the professor at his 60th birthday
  5. adjective satellite (meat) cooked by dry heat in an oven
    roasted.

WordNet

Roast transitive verb
Etymology
OE. rosten, OF. rostir, F. rôtir; of German origin; cf. OHG. r&omac;sten, G. rösten, fr. OHG. r&omac;st, r&omac;sta, gridiron, G. rost; cf. AS. hyrstan to roast.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Roasted; present participle & verbal noun Roasting
Definitions
  1. To cook by exposure to radiant heat before a fire; as, to roast meat on a spit, or in an oven open toward the fire and having reflecting surfaces within; also, to cook in a close oven.
  2. To cook by surrounding with hot embers, ashes, sand, etc.; as, to roast a potato in ashes.
    In eggs boiled and roasted there is scarce difference to be discerned. BAcon.
  3. To dry and parch by exposure to heat; as, to roast coffee; to roast chestnuts, or peanuts.
  4. Hence, to heat to excess; to heat violently; to burn. "Roasted in wrath and fire." Shak.
  5. (Metal.) To dissipate by heat the volatile parts of, as ores.
  6. To banter severely. Colloq. Atterbury.
Roast intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To cook meat, fish, etc., by heat, as before the fire or in an oven.
    He could roast, and seethe, and broil, and fry. Chaucer.
  2. To undergo the process of being roasted.
Roast noun
Definitions
  1. That which is roasted; a piece of meat which has been roasted, or is suitable for being roasted.
    A fat swan loved he best of any roost [roast]. Chaucer.
    = to rule the roost! Shak.
Roast adjective
Etymology
For roasted.
Definitions
  1. Roasted; as, roast beef.

Webster 1913