toaster
    n 1: someone who proposes a toast; someone who drinks to the
         health of success of someone or some venture [syn:
         toaster, wassailer]
    2: a kitchen appliance (usually electric) for toasting bread

Toaster \Toast"er\, n.
   1. One who toasts.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. A kitchen utensil for toasting bread, cheese, etc.
      [1913 Webster]
      [1913 Webster]

Appliance \Ap*pli"ance\, n.
   1. The act of applying; application.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. subservience; compliance. [Obs.] --Shak.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. A thing applied or used as a means to an end; an apparatus
      or device; as, to use various appliances; a mechanical
      appliance; a machine with its appliances.
      [1913 Webster]

   4. Specifically: An apparatus or device, usually powered
      electrically, used in homes to perform domestic functions.
      An appliance is often categorized as a major appliance or
      a minor appliance by its cost. Common major appliances are
      the refrigerator, washing machine, clothes drier,
      oven, and dishwasher. Some minor appliances are a
      toaster, vacuum cleaner or microwave oven.
      [PJC]

toaster
 n.

    1. The archetypal really stupid application for an embedded microprocessor
    controller; often used in comments that imply that a scheme is
    inappropriate technology (but see elevator controller). ?DWIM for an
    assembler? That'd be as silly as running Unix on your toaster!?

    2. A very, very dumb computer. ?You could run this program on any dumb
    toaster.? See bitty box, Get a real computer!, toy, beige toaster.

    3. A Macintosh, esp. a Mac in the original unitary case. Some hold that
    this is implied by sense 2.

    4. A peripheral device. ?I bought my box without toasters, but since then
    I've added two boards and a second disk drive.?

    5. A specialized computer used as an appliance. See web toaster, video
    toaster.

toaster

    1. The archetypal really stupid application for an
   embedded microprocessor controller; often used in comments
   that imply that a scheme is inappropriate technology (but see
   elevator controller).  "DWIM for an assembler?  That'd be
   as silly as running Unix on your toaster!"

   2. A very, very dumb computer. "You could run this program on
   any dumb toaster."

   See bitty box, Get a real computer!, toy, beige
   toaster.

   3. A Macintosh, especially the Classic Mac.  Some hold
   that this is implied by sense 2.

   4. A peripheral device.  "I bought my box without toasters,
   but since then I've added two boards and a second disk drive".

   This is not usually to be taken literally but, to show off the
   expansion capabilities of the Risc PC, Acorn Computers
   Ltd. built a seven-slice machine (which they called "the
   rocket-ship") and installed every imaginable peripheral.  In a
   spare drive bay of the top slice they installed a toaster.
   This machine was exhibited at various shows where it attracted
   attention by occasionally ejecting a pizza.

   [Jargon File]

   (1997-07-18)