Toasting
In the good old days it wasn’t at all uncommon to slip a bit of poison into someone’s drink. As a means of avoiding sudden death, people began requesting that their host take a sip or two from their glass. Eventually, it became necessary only to touch each other’s glasses together making a sound that would frighten away evil spirits. The touching was accompanied by a wish for health, which was another way of saying “I haven’t poisoned you.”
In the days when wine and ale were drunk almost as soon as they were made, sediment collected at the bottom of the glass. The problem was solved by dropping a piece of toasted bread into the glass to soak up the bitter bits. The result was a tastier drink if not healthier one. And that’s how the term “toasting” came about.