a facetious ceremonial tribute, usually concluding a banquet, in which the guest of honor is both praised and good-naturedly insulted in a succession of speeches by friends and acquaintances.
18.
an outdoor get-together, as a picnic or barbecue, at which food is roasted and eaten: a weenie roast.
c.1300, from O.Fr. rostir, from Frankish *hraustjan (cf. O.H.G. rosten, M.Du. roosten "to roast"), from the same source as roster (q.v.). The meaning "make fun of in an affectionate way" is from 1710. The noun is attested from early 14c. Roast beef first recorded 1630s.
tv. to put on an entertaining program, usually with a dinner, where the guest of honor is teased and insulted. : They roasted Dave when he retired.
n. an entertaining program where the guest of honor is insulted all in fun. : It was a wonderful roast. The guest of honor was pleased with the quality of the insults.
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition. Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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