toad

Definition

An amphibian, a kind of frog (order Anura) with shorter hindlegs and a drier, wartier skin, many in family Bufonidae.

Etymology

From Middle English tode, toode, tadde, tade, from Old English *tāde, a shortened variant of Old English tādie, tādiġe (“toad”). Cognate with Scots tade, taid, taed, ted (“toad”). Compare also Danish tudse (“toad”), possibly originally from the same prehistoric root; also Swedish tåssa, tossa (“toad”), Old English tāxe (“toad”), Old English tosca (“toad”) by contrast.

Example Sentences

• "Shortly he heard the trolls coming. They had a fiddler with them, and some began dancing, while others fell to eating the Christmas fare on the table - some fried bacon, and some fried frogs and toads, and other nasty things which they had brought with them."
• "1971, Jim Morrison, Ray Manzarek, Robby Krieger & John Densmore, "Riders on the Storm", The Doors, L.A. Woman. There's a killer on the road / His brain is squirmin' like a toad"

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