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taste

taste [ tayst ]


noun  (plural tastes)
Definition:
 
1. small quantity sampled: a small quantity of something eaten, drunk, or sampled to assess its effect on the sensory receptors on the surface of the tongue or in the mouth
Can I have a taste of that?

2. experience of something: a brief sample or experience of something, especially for the first time
a taste of freedom

3. liking for something: a tendency to like or enjoy something
She has developed a taste for modern art.

4. ability to judge aesthetically: the faculty of making discerning judgments in aesthetic matters
He has good taste.

5. sense of socially acceptable: a sense of what is proper or acceptable socially
The remark was in poor taste.

6. physiology sense that identifies flavors: the sense that perceives the distinctive qualities of something such as a food by means of the sensory organs in the tongue taste buds

7. physiology sensation stimulated in taste buds: the sensation stimulated in the taste buds when food, drink, or other substances are in contact with them. Sweetness, saltiness, bitterness, and sourness are considered the four basic taste sensations, and all flavors combine these in various ways with the sense of smell.
has a salty taste

8. physiology assessment of taste of something: an act of putting a small amount of something in the mouth in order to try it or test its flavor



transitive verb  (past and past participle tast·ed, present participle tast·ing, 3rd person present singular tastes)
Definition:
 
1. have particular flavor: to have a particular effect on the taste buds
This tastes horrible.

2. physiology discern flavor of something: to discern the flavor of a substance by means of the taste buds

3. test something for flavor: to put a small amount of food or drink into the mouth in order to try it or to test its flavor
Taste this for salt.

4. experience something: to experience something, especially for the first time or only briefly
He had tasted success.

[13th century. < Old French taster "to touch"]

tast·a·ble adjective
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