Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Wiktionary
n. A dish made by browning a roast-sized piece of beef (often taken from the tougher chuck cut) to induce a Maillard reaction, then slow-cooking in liquid in a covered dish.
WordNet
n. cut of beef suitable for simmering in liquid in a closed pot
Wikipedia
Pot roast is a braised beef dish, typically made by browning a roast-sized piece of beef in order to induce a Maillard reaction, then slow-cooking in or over liquid in a covered dish. Tougher cuts such as chuck steak, boneless chuck roast, and 7-bone pot roast are popularly cooked using this technique; while the toughness of their fibers makes them unsuitable for oven roasting, slow cooking tenderizes them, while the liquid exchanges its flavor with that of the beef. The result is tender, succulent meat and a rich liquid that lends itself to gravy. In North America, where it is also known as "Yankee pot roast", pot roast is often served with vegetables such as carrots, potatoes and sometimes onions simmered in the cooking liquid.
Pot roast is an American variation of the French dish boeuf à la mode, modified by influences from German and Jewish immigrants.
Usage examples of "pot roast".
Grandma helped herself to the gravy boat and poured gravy over her pot roast.
DeChooch probably took that pot roast out of Dougie's freezer thinking it was the heart.
Fargarson had a pot roast in the oven for Sunday lunch, and she wouldn't take no for an answer.
It was Sunday, and I had a date with a pot roast at my parents' house.
I'm never going to sit down to pot roast with the same attitude again.
But if you insist, I'll order pot roast and potatoes and sleep instead!