Also 8 zist. [a. F. zeste, earlier † zest, † zec, ‘the thicke skin, or filme whereby the kernell of a wall-nut is diuided’ (Cotgr.), also orange or lemon peel; of obscure origin. Cf. Walloon zess, Pg. zeste.
The sense given in Chambers Cycl., 1728, ‘the woody, thick Skin, quartering the Kernel of a Walnut,’ is taken from French, and was not in English use.]
1. Orange or lemon peel used as a flavoring or for preserving; also, the oil squeezed from such peel to flavor liquor, etc. Now rare or Obs.
1674. Blount, Glossogr. (ed.), Zest (Fr.) the pill of an Orange, or such like, squeesed into a glass of wine, to give it a relish.
1712. trans. Pomet’s Hist. Drugs, I. 150. Citron Oil … is made … by the Zest or the rasping or grating of the Citron Peel.
1747. Wesley, Prim. Physick (1755), 70. Pour into the Palm of the Hand a little Brandy, with some Zist of Lemon.
1800. trans. Lagrange’s Chem., II. 173. To prepare lemon-juice you must first carefully remove the zest and then the white part.
1903. Gilchrist, Beggar’s Manor, ii. As he … fastidiously deprived the oranges of their zest.
2. fig. Something that imparts a relish, savor, or piquancy; a piquant quality which adds to the enjoyment or agreeableness of something.
1709. Mrs. Manley, Secret Mem., 107. Monsieur St. Amant lov’d nothing so tenderly as he did the Baron;… he was the Zest to all his Pleasures.
1728. Vanbr. & Cib., Prov. Husb., III. i. A smart Repartee, with a Zest of Recrimination at the Head of it, makes the prettiest Sherbet.
1742. Young, Nt. Th., IX. 1211. The Life of life, the Zest of worldly bliss.
1819. Keats, To Fanny, 6. That sweet minor zest of love, your kiss.
1820. W. Irving, Sketch Bk., II. 134. There was a quaintness too, mingled with all this revelry, that gave it a peculiar zest.
1862. Thackeray, Philip, xvi. The sense that, perhaps, it was imprudent to take a cab or drink a bottle of wine, added a zest to those enjoyments.
1873. Helps, Anim. & Mast., viii. 207. The difference of character should have given a zest to companionship, not destroyed it.
3. Keen relish or enjoyment displayed in speech or action; the pleasure of enjoying something; gusto. Usually const. for.
1791. Boswell, Johnson, 20 Sept. an. 1777. If I were to reside in London, the exquisite zest with which I relished it in occasional visits might go off.
1831. Sir J. Sinclair, Corr., II. 358. After travelling … for two or three days alone, when he arrives at an inn, it gives him a greater zest for society.
1844. Dickens, Mart. Chuz., xix. She went to a lying-in or a laying-out with equal zest.
1854. Thackeray, Newcomes, i. The zest of life was certainly keener.
1895. Salmond, Chr. Doctr. Immort., I. vii. 119. The Greek people had an almost unrivalled zest for life.
b. phr. To your zest, to your taste or liking. rare.
1817. Byron, Beppo, xii. That picture … Is loveliest to my mind of all the Show; It may perhaps be also to your zest.
4. transf. Something which furnishes a relish or provides a savory addition to a meal; an appetizer; also, a relish, a piquant flavor.
1835. Dickens, Sk. Boz, Miss Evans & Eagle. Mr. Wilkins had brought a pint of shrimps … to give a zest to the meal [sc. tea].
1848. Newman, Loss & Gain, 154. ‘I like these rides into the country,’ said Vincent, as they began eating;… ‘it is exquisite as a zest.’
1848. Dickens, Dombey, xxvi. The Native had private zests and flavours on a side-table, with which the Major daily scorched himself.
1856. Kane, Arctic Expl., II. xxvii. 273. We … renewed the zest of the table with the best salad in the world—raw eggs and cochlearia.
1876. Miss Braddon, Dear Men’s Shoes, i. For a cheap relish, a zest which shall make bread and butter supply the place of dinner, your fishmonger is your best friend.
Hence Zestful a., full of zest, characterized by piquancy or keen relish or enjoyment; whence Zestfully adv., Zestfulness.
1850. Fraser’s Mag., XLII. 345. A zestful sort of place in which to spend a fortnight. Ibid. (1857), LVI. 601. How … shall any man … abridge … twenty volumes of such zestful personalities?
1872. C. King, Mountain. Sierra Nev., xi. 241. While we chatted and ate zestfully portions [of meat] not too freely brecciated with lava sand.
1897. Jacobs, Skipper’s Wooing, i. He bent over and with much zestful splashing began his ablutions.
1882. Illustr. Lond. News, 30 Sept., 350/2. The zestfulness of its Radicalism is not lessened.
