Word
develop a taste for
Definition
idiom. to start to like something that you did not like before or that you found strange at first.
idiom. to acquire a preference or liking for something through experience or repeated exposure. Often used with things that are initially challenging or sophisticated, such as specific foods, genres of art, or complex hobbies.
Examples
“I have recently developed a taste for spicy food.”
“After living in London for a year, he developed a taste for afternoon tea and rainy walks.”
“Although she initially found the composer's work dissonant and jarring, she gradually developed a taste for modern avant-garde jazz.”
Examples
simple
“I have recently developed a taste for spicy food.”
contextual
“After living in London for a year, he developed a taste for afternoon tea and rainy walks.”
complex
“Although she initially found the composer's work dissonant and jarring, she gradually developed a taste for modern avant-garde jazz.”
Usage
usually followed by a noun or a gerund representing the new interest.
Teaching tip
the word 'develop' implies a process over time; it is a useful alternative to 'start to like' when discussing acquired tastes like coffee, olives, or classical music.
Pitfall
I developed a taste to olives.
I developed a taste for olives.
the noun 'taste' in this expression requires the preposition 'for' to connect to the object.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/develop-a-taste-for