Cooked with dry heat in an oven or over fire; (slang) insulted or criticized harshly.
From Old French 'rostir,' derived from Germanic roots. The cooking method is ancient, but the slang meaning 'to insult severely' emerged in 20th-century American slang, comparing harsh criticism to the harsh heat of roasting.
The slang 'roast battle' where comedians trade insults actually has a long history—the word 'roast' for cruel teasing comes from the same language roots as 'roasting' meat over fire, both involving intense heat!
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