You're toast.
Meaning
You are in a dire situation and are certain to suffer negative consequences or defeat.
Origin
Imagine a pristine slice of bread, soft and pliable. Now, pop it into a toaster. What emerges is an irreversible transformation—crisp, brown, and utterly 'done.' This simple, common kitchen process lends its vivid imagery to "you're toast," first bubbling up in mid-20th-century American slang. The phrase quickly caught fire, becoming a punchy, direct way to declare someone is finished, doomed, or about to face inescapable consequences. It's a culinary metaphor for finality, suggesting a situation is cooked, complete, and with no way back from the heat.
Examples
- If you don't turn in that assignment by tomorrow, you're toast with Professor Davies.
- The moment the referee blew the whistle for that foul, the opposing team knew they were toast.