What is "roast"

Roast \Roast\, n. 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 roast, to be at the head of affairs. ``The new-made duke that rules the roast.''
--Shak.

Roast \Roast\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Roasted; p. pr. & vb. n. Roasting.] [OE. rosten, OF. rostir, F. r[^o]tir; of German origin; cf. OHG. r[=o]sten, G. r["o]sten, fr. OHG. r[=o]st, r[=o]sta, gridiron, G. rost; cf. AS. hyrstan to roast.]

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 \Roast\, a. [For roasted.] Roasted; as, roast beef.

Roast \Roast\, v. i.

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.

late 13c., "to cook by dry heat," from Old French rostir "to roast, burn" (Modern French rôtir), from Frankish *hraustjan (cognate with Old High German rosten, German rösten, Middle Dutch roosten "to roast"), originally "cook on a grate or gridiron," related to Germanic words meaning "gridiron, grate;" such as German Rost, Middle Dutch roost.\n

\nIntransitive sense "be very hot, be exposed to great heat" is from c.1300. The meaning "make fun of in an affectionate way" is from 1710. From the same source as roster. Related: Roasted; roasting. Roast beef first recorded 1630s (French rosbif is from English).\n\n

early 14c., "meat roasted or for roasting;" see roast (v.). Meaning "a roasting" is from 1580s. Sense of "an unmerciful bantering" is from 1740.

1. 1 having been cooked by roasting 2 (context figuratively English) subjected to roasting, bantered, severely criticized n. 1 A cut of meat suited to roasting 2 A meal consisting of roast foods. 3 The degree to which something, especially coffee, is roasted. 4 (Originally fraternal) A comical event where a person is subjected to verbal attack, yet may be praised by sarcasm and jokes. v

2. 1 (context transitive or intransitive or ergative English) To cook food by heating in an oven or over a fire without covering, resulting in a crisp, possibly even slightly charred appearance. 2 To cook by surrounding with hot embers, ashes, sand, et

3. 3 (context transitive or intransitive or ergative English) To process by drying through exposure to sun or artificial heat 4 To heat to excess; to heat violently; to burn. 5 (context transitive figuratively English) To admonish someone vigorously 6 (context transitive figuratively English) To subject to bantering, severely criticize, sometimes as a comedy routine. 7 (context metalworking English) To dissipate by heat the volatile parts of, as ores.

adj. (of meat) cooked by dry heat in an oven [syn: roasted]

1. n. a piece of meat roasted or for roasting and of a size for slicing into more than one portion [syn: joint]

2. negative criticism [syn: knock]

1. v. cook with dry heat, usually in an oven; "roast the turkey"

2. subject to laughter or ridicule; "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" [syn: ridicule, guy, blackguard, laugh at, jest at, rib, make fun, poke fun]

Roast or roasting may refer to:

• Roasting, a cooking method
• Roasting (metallurgy), a metallurgy process in which sulfidic ores are converted to oxides
• Roast (comedy), an event where an individual is ridiculed for the sake of comedy

A roast is an event in which a specific individual, a guest of honor, is subjected to good-natured jokes at their expense intended to amuse the event's wider audience. This type of event was created as a mock counter to a toast. Such events are intended to honor a specific individual in a unique way. In addition to jokes and insult comedy, such events may also involve genuine praise and tributes. The implication is that the roastee is able to take the jokes in good humor and not as serious criticism or insult, and it is seen by some as a great honor to be roasted. The individual is surrounded by friends, fans, and well-wishers, who can receive some of the same treatment as well during the course of the evening. The party and presentation itself are both referred to as a "roast". The host of the event is called the "roastmaster". Anyone who is honored in such a way is said to have been "roasted".