potato

plural potatoes · alternative nonstandard obsolete potatoe · alternative dialectal informal p'tater · alternative dialectal informal tater

1. countableuncountableThe 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.

   1891, “Condensed Replies to Various Letters”, in Leroy M[ilton] Yale, editor, Babyhood: The Mother’s Nursery Guide, Devoted to the Care of Children, volume VII, New York, N.Y.; London: Babyhood Publishing Company, page 230, column 2

   5 more examples

   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.

   1912, C[harles] F[ord] Langworthy, Caroline L[ouisa] Hunt, Cheese and Its Economical Uses in the Diet (Farmers’ Bulletin 487), Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, page 24

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

   1915, Annual Report of the Local Government Board for Scotland, page 17

   What was that about potatoes? Were they just a thing from foreign parts, like coffee; a luxury, an extra? Oh, the potato is a lordly fruit; drought or downpour, it grows and grows all the same. It laughs at the weather, and will stand anything; only deal kindly with it, and it yields fifteen-fold again. … A man may lack grain to make bread, but give him potatoes and he will not starve. Roast them in embers, and there is supper; boil them in water, and there's a breakfast ready.

   1917, Knut Hamsun, Growth of the Soil, Book 1, Ch.4, at p.34

   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.

   1961, Harry E. Wedeck, Dictionary of Aphrodisiacs, New York: The Citadel Press, page 195

   Potatoes were introduced to Ireland in 1590 after being brought to Europe by Spanish conquistadores from their place of origin in the South American Andes.

   2017, Anthony J. McMichael, Alistair Woodward, Cameron Muir, Climate Change and the Health of Nations, →ISBN, page 213

   Synonyms: p'tater, spud, tato, tater, tator, tatie, earthapple, mickey

2. countableuncountableThe plant that produces this tuber.

   Synonyms: many of the synonyms for the tuber can also refer to the plant

3. countableobsoleteuncountableA sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas).
4. UKcountableinformaluncountableA conspicuous hole in a sock or stocking.

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

   1943, Agatha Christie, The Moving Finger

5. countablederogatoryendearingoftensometimesuncountableA person or animal shaped like a potato, that is, with a large belly and/or short legs.
6. countableuncountableMetaphor for a person or thing of little value.

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

   1757, [Tobias Smollett], The Reprisal: Or, The Tars of Old England. […], London: […] R[oberts] Baldwin, […], →OCLC, Act I, scene ii, page 8

   1. countableoffensiveslanguncountableA mentally handicapped person.
   2. countablehumorousuncountableA camera that takes poor-quality pictures or videos.
   3. countablehumorousslanguncountablecomputingAn underpowered computer or other device, especially when small in size.

      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.

      2019 September 22, Benjamin Burns, “Meet the people making music with Mega Drives, Game Boys and gAtaris”, in Eurogamer, archived from the original on 27 Jun 2026

      1 more example

      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.

      2017 March 17, Steven Messner, “Overwatch community donates PC parts to fan who could barely run it at 800x600”, in PC Gamer, archived from the original on 01 Feb 2018

      Synonyms: toaster

present singular third person potatoes · participle present potatoing · participle past potatoed · past potatoed · alternative nonstandard obsolete potatoe · alternative dialectal informal p'tater · alternative dialectal informal tater

1. slangtransitiveTo 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.

   2014, James Dixon, Arnold Furious, Bob Dahlstrom, The Raw Files: 1998, page 26

2. transitiveTo 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.

   2017, A. J. Low, Sherlock Sam’s Orange Shorts: Special Edition

alternative nonstandard obsolete potatoe · alternative dialectal informal p'tater · alternative dialectal informal tater

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