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taste

n. · v.
US //ˈteɪst// UK //tˈeɪst// taste
  1. 1 flavour (n.)
    A2 Elementary

    the flavour of a food or drink that you notice in your mouth.

    the sensation produced by a substance in the mouth, typically perceived by the tongue.

    Example

    The soup has a very strong taste of garlic and herbs.

    Example

    The chef adjusted the seasoning to ensure the delicate taste of the sea bass was not overwhelmed by the citrus reduction.
  2. 2 the sense (n.)
    B1 Intermediate Medicine

    the ability to notice different flavours in your mouth.

    the physiological faculty of perceiving the flavour of substances.

    Example

    A bad cold can make you lose your sense of taste for a few days.

    Example

    The patient reported a diminished sense of taste following the course of medication, though doctors expected a full recovery within weeks.
    • gustation
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  1. 3 a small amount (n.)
    B1 Intermediate Cooking

    a small amount of food or drink that you try to see if you like it.

    a small portion of food or drink taken as a sample.

    Example

    Would you like a taste of the sauce to see if it needs more salt?

    Example

    She offered him a taste of the vintage wine before pouring a full glass for the rest of the guests.
  2. 4 personal preference (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    the things you like, such as your style in clothes, music, or art.

    an individual's aesthetic preferences or the ability to discern what is high quality.

    Example

    We have very different tastes in music, but we both love the same films.

    Example

    Her apartment was decorated with impeccable taste, blending modern minimalist furniture with bold, classical artwork.
  3. 5 brief experience (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    a short experience of something that helps you understand what it is like.

    a brief or initial experience of something, providing a representative sample of the whole.

    Example

    The first week of the job gave her a taste of what the busy season would be like.

    Example

    The introductory workshop provided the students with a taste of advanced calculus, encouraging several to pursue the subject further.
  4. 6 to sample flavour (v.)
    A2 Elementary

    to put a small amount of food or drink in your mouth to find out its flavour.

    to perceive or test the flavour of something by taking it into the mouth.

    Example

    You should taste the milk to make sure it is still fresh.

    Example

    The sommelier tasted the wine to ensure it had reached the appropriate temperature before serving it to the table.
  5. 7 to have a flavour (v.)
    A2 Elementary

    to have a particular flavour when someone eats or drinks it.

    to produce a specific gustatory sensation; used as a copular verb.

    Example

    This cake tastes delicious and is very light.

    Example

    The water tasted slightly of minerals, suggesting it had been sourced from a deep underground spring rather than the local reservoir.

    Usage

    This is a stative verb and is not usually used in the continuous (-ing) form.

Origin

From Middle English tasten, borrowed from Old French taster, from assumed Vulgar Latin tastāre, from assumed Vulgar Latin taxitāre, a new iterative of Latin taxāre (“to touch sharply”), from tangere (“to touch”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *teh₂g-. Almost displaced native Middle English smaken, smakien (“to taste”) (from Old English smacian (“to taste”)), Middle English smecchen (“to taste, smack”) (from Old English smæċċan (“to taste”)) (whence Modern English smack), Middle English buriȝen (“to taste”) (from Old English byrigan, birian (“to taste”)).

Word family
Idioms7 entries

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