have a toast

NOUN

[/hæv ə toʊst/]

to drink alcohol in honor of someone or something; to make a celebratory drink

💡 Concept

The whole family raised their glasses to have a toast for grandpa's 80th birthday.

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🎤Pronunciation

🇺🇸 US/hæv ə toʊst/

🇬🇧 UK/hæv ə təʊst/

🌳Etymology

Origin

The phrase originated in the 17th century from the English custom of placing a piece of spiced toast bread in a wine glass. Just as the name of an admired woman was believed to enhance the flavor of wine, the toasted bread was thought to improve the taste of the drink, eventually becoming a metaphor for raising a glass in honor of someone.

Breakdown

toast (roasted bread) → extended metaphorically to mean a celebratory gesture of raising one's glass in honor of a person or occasion, where the bread piece gave way to the act of drinking itself as a ritual of tribute.

🎵Rhyme

boastcoastmostpost

boast

coast

most

post

🔗Collocations

have a toast to someone

raise a toast

propose a toast

wedding toast

champagne toast

farewell toast

📝Examples

😄 Fun example

“The CEO had a toast with orange juice because he doesn't drink alcohol.”

😄 Fun example

“Let's have a toast to surviving Monday morning meetings!”

“They had a toast to celebrate the company's 50th anniversary.”

“Would you like to have a toast to our new partnership?”

📚Related Words

Synonyms

raise a glasspropose a toastmake a toastdrink tocelebrate with drinks

Antonyms

abstainrefuse to drink

cheerscelebrationceremonycongratulatehonor

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have a toast — to drink alcohol in honor of someone or something; to make a celebratory drink

Example Sentences