potato

noun

1. 1

   The edible starchy tuber of the plant species Solanum tuberosum.

   Do not let your child have potato for another year; he will probably take milk well enough after he is weaned.

   The protein value of this dish is equal to that of 1⅛ pounds of potato and beef, the fuel value, however, being much in excess of these.

   A number of the children said that they had potato for breakfast, potato and herring for dinner, potato and milk for supper.

   Although the potato actually has no exciting value, it was believed, in the seventeenth century, to possess definite aphrodisiac qualities, and is frequent mentioned in this respect in Elizabethan drama.

2. 2

   The plant that produces this tuber.

3. 3

   obsoleteA sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas).

4. 4

   informalA conspicuous hole in a sock or stocking.

   She was untidily dressed as usual and there were potatoes in both heels.

5. 5

   A person or animal shaped like a potato, that is, with a large belly and/or short legs.

6. 6

   Metaphor for a person or thing of little value.

   I don't value Monſieur de Champignon a rotten potatoe; […]

7. 7

   slangMetaphor for a person or thing of little value. A mentally handicapped person.

8. 8

   Metaphor for a person or thing of little value. A camera that takes poor-quality pictures or videos.

9. 9

   slangMetaphor for a person or thing of little value. An underpowered computer or other device, especially when small in size.

   When most people refer to their computers as a potato they're being hyperbolic, but not Ethan. He plays Overwatch at 800x600 resolution with all settings on low and is excited when he gets 30 fps.

   If you want to have a go right now, then Famitracker will let you compose songs for the NES and it'll run on a Windows-operated potato.

verb

1. 1

   slangTo hit very hard; to pummel.

   Bradshaw doesn't find much humour in it though, and beats the tar out of Dustin, potatoing him with every blow.

2. 2

   To hit with a thrown or fired potato.

   Yvonne and Lee Swee potatoed Deputy Lestrade multiple times before Sheriff Moran potatoed them both. […] Suddenly, Sheriff Moran heard the click click of an empty weapon. He turned to see that both Mayor Eliza and Kat had run out of ammunition.

interjection

1. 1

   The rhythmic sound produced by a V-twin engine—a distinctive deep, throaty exhaust note.

Forms

plural

potatoes

past tense

potatoed

past participle

potatoed

present participle

potatoing

third person singular

potatoes