toad Hear it!

toad Definition

toad (tōd)

noun

  1. any of several families of tailless, leaping anuran amphibians (esp. family Bufonidae) with a rough, warty skin: normally they eat insects and live on moist land but when breeding they live in water
  2. a person regarded as loathsome, contemptible, etc.

Etymology: ME tode, var. of tadde < OE tadde, tadige

toad Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • eat: Eat one live toad the first thing in the morning.
  • find: An absolute must is a good powerful flashlight to enable you to find the toads.
  • see: Also saw a large toad, which was really large!
  • include: Water is a great attraction for native fauna and flora, including toads, frogs, dragonflies and damselflies.
  • have: I once had a toad called Dave, who lived to the age of twenty-six!

Adjective modifier

  • golden: The golden toad used to live in a small section of ' cloud forest ' now named the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve.
  • common: How much do we know about the Common Toad in the Durham area?
  • giant: Deep in the circle of his pupil was the reflection of a giant toad, sitting asleep among its own putrid filth.
  • rare: The toads are back A rare toad is back at a former stronghold in North Wales with help from its Scouser friends.
  • female: It is very different from the female golden toad.
  • little: Wouldn't you like something in your handbag to shut the little toads up?

Modifies a noun

  • tadpole: Newts will eat frog tadpoles, but take toad tadpoles less readily.
  • population: Southern Water is asking customers to help monitor the toad population in the region which has halved during the last ten to 15 years.
  • house: There are a couple of types of toad houses.
  • patrol: The Croyde Amphibian Rescue Group organize toad patrols every year to prevent thousands of toads being killed by traffic.

Noun used with modifier

  • natterjack: Natterjack toads breed in the fresh water pools in the sand dunes.
  • cane: Then suddenly I let out a cry as I found myself gazing at the biggest cane toad ever!
  • midwife: Six species of owl are found here, including Scops whose call has been confused with that of the midwife toad.

Possessives

  • valley: Toad's hole valley ( http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=528255&y=107815&z=3&sv=528500,107500&st=4&ar=Y&mapp=newmap.s ) is a far better site.

Preposition: in

  • hole: It does the most extraordinary African toad in the hole.
toad Quotes

Why should I let the toad work Squat on my life? Can't I use my wit as a pitchfork And drive the brute off? Six days of the week it soils With its sickening poisonö Just for paying a few bills! That's out of proportion.

—Larkin, Philip Arthur

The smell of buttered toast simply talked toToad, and with no uncertain voice; talked of warm kitchens, of breakfasts on bright frosty mornings, of cosy parlour firesides on winter evenings, when one's ramble was over and slippered feet were propped on the fender; of the purring of contented cats, and the twitter of sleepy canaries.

—Grahame, Kenneth

Him there they found Paradise Lost Squat like a toad, close at the ear of Eve.

—Milton,John

The toad beneath the harrow knows Exactly where each tooth-point goes; The butterfly upon the road Preaches contentment to that toad. 470

—Kipling, (Joseph) Rudyard

The centipede was happy quite, Until the toad in fun Asked him which leg went after which, Which drove him into such a pitch He lay distracted in a ditch, Considering how to run.

—Craster, Mrs Edmund   d.1874

It was not meant for human eyes, That combat on the shabby patch Of clods and trampled earth that lies Somewhere beneath the sodden skies For eye of toad or adder to catch.

—Muir, Edwin

Give me your arm, old toad; Help me down Cemetery Road.

—Larkin, Philip Arthur