roast

 
Pronunciation: /rəʊst/

verb

[with object]
  • 1cook (food, especially meat) by prolonged exposure to heat in an oven or over a fire: she was going to roast a leg of mutton for Sunday dinner (as adjective roasted) roasted chestnuts
  • [no object] (of food) be cooked by roasting: she checked the meat roasting in the oven for lunch
  • process (a foodstuff, metal ore, etc.) by subjecting it to intense heat: decaffeinated coffee beans are roasted and ground
  • make or become very warm, especially through exposure to the heat of the sun or a fire: [with object]: the fire was hot enough to roast anyone who stood close to it [no object]: Jessica could feel her face begin to roast
  • 2 informal criticize or reprimand severely: if you waste his time he’ll roast you
  • 3North American informal tease in a good-natured way.

adjective

[attributive]
  • (of food) having been roasted: a plate of cold roast beef

noun

  • a joint of meat that has been roasted or that is intended for roasting: carving the Sunday roast
  • [mass noun] the process of roasting something, especially coffee, or the result of this: the roast is stopped when the colour is moderately dark brown [in singular]: round beans give a more even roast than the usual split beans
  • [with adjective] a particular type of roasted coffee: continental roasts
  • an outdoor party at which meat is roasted: Harold put on a terrific pig roast

Origin:

Middle English: from Old French rostir, of West Germanic origin