Taste v.

Forms: 3–5 tasten, (3 tasti, 4 tasty, taaste, 4–6 taast, 4–8 tast, 4–7 taist, 6 Sc. test, 7 teast), 4– taste. [ME. tasten, a. OF. tast-er to touch, feel (12th c.), in 13–14th c. also to taste, mod.F. tâter to feel, touch, try, taste, = Pr., OSp. tastar, It. tastare to feel, handle, touch, grope for, try (Florio):—Com. Romanic or late pop.L. *tastare, app. from *taxtāre:—*taxitāre, freq. of taxāre to touch, feel, handle (Gellius, etc.): see TAX v.]

  I.  Of touch, feeling, or experience generally.

  † 1.  trans. To try, examine, or explore by touch; to feel; to handle. Obs.

c. 1290.  St. Michael, 312, in S. Eng. Leg., I. 308. With þat finguer he wole hit tasti ȝif it is a-riȝt i-wrouȝt.

c. 1330.  R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 9011. He tasted his pous,… He seide he knew his medycyn.

c. 1330.  Amis & Amil., 1401. Leches … That gun to tasty his wounde.

1390.  Gower, Conf., III. 315. This noble clerk, with alle haste Began the veines forto taste.

1480.  Caxton, Ovid’s Met., X. vii. She toke hardynes for the derknes, and tasted the waye on the ryght side & lyft.

1525.  Ld. Berners, Froiss., II. xxxviii. 115. The men of armes entre into the dykes,… and tasted the dyke with their speares, and passed ouer to the fote of the wall.

1648.  Crashaw, Delights Muses, Music’s Duel, 112. With a quiv’ring coynesse tasts the strings.

  † b.  intr. To feel, touch; to grope. Obs.

1377.  Langl., P. Pl., B. XVII. 147. Þe fyngres … Bitokneth sothly þe sone … Þat toched and tasted atte techynge of þe paume.

c. 1450.  Merlin, xxxiii. 681. She be-gan to taste softly till he fill on slepe.

1481.  Caxton, Reynard, xii. (Arb.), 27. Isegrym … crope a lityl in, and tasted here and there, and at laste he sayde … what I seche I fynde not. Ibid. (1483) G. de la Tour, F ij b. He tasted aboute & founde well that the dede was trewe.

  † c.  trans. To come into contact with, to touch.

1634.  Sir T. Herbert, Trav., 18. Such as haue the Scuruy … so soone as they taste the shore … eat three-leafed-grasse.

  † 2.  trans. To put to the proof; to try, test. Obs.

13[?].  Cursor M., 12934 (Gött.). Þe warlou wili … wold him tast wid sin, To witt if he had part him in.

c. 1450.  Lovelich, Grail, lii. 603. He lyht Adown … and tasted his harneis In that stede, þat it scholde not faille whanne he hadd nede.

1585–6.  Sir T. Sherley, in Leycester Corr. (Camden), 174. I thowght to tast her affectyon unto your lordship.

1615.  Chapman, Odyss., XXI. 211. And he now began To taste the bow.

1670.  Cotton, Espernon, II. v. 206. Him he first tasted by Lafin, the same who had made himself a Mediator betwixt the Duke of Espernon and l’Esdiguieres in Provence.

  b.  spec.: see quots.

1711.  W. Sutherland, Shipbuild. Assist., 164. Tasting of Plank or Timber, chipping or it with an Addice to try the Defects.

c. 1850.  Rudim. Navig. (Weale), 155. Tasting of plank or timber, chipping it with an adze, or boring it with a small augur, for the purpose of ascertaining its quality.

  † c.  To attempt, try to do something. Obs. rare.

c. 1330.  R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 13834. Oo many manere ilk oþer tasted Ilk oþer to slo, ilk oþer to wounde.

c. 1450.  Merlin, xxxii. 649. He caste a-wey his clubbe and tasted to chacche the kynge in his armes.

  3.  fig. To have experience or knowledge of; to experience, feel; to have a slight experience of.

  Often (in later use perh. always) fig. from 4.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 18940. Als gaf to þaim þe haligast Alkin wiit to tuche and tast.

c. 1380.  Wyclif, Serm., Sel. Wks. I. 126. He shal not taaste þe longe deþ.

1576.  Fleming, Panopl. Epist., 35. In ciuil commotions all thinges are miserable:… this our present age also hath oftentimes tasted.

1630.  R. Johnson’s Kingd. & Commw., 138. [The Gaules] who from Caesars time till then, had not tasted the force of a forren power.

1693.  Humours Town, A ij b. You have tasted the Pleasures of the Town.

1717.  Ockley in Lett. Lit. Men (Camden), 353. I enjoy more repose here than I have tasted these many years.

1864.  Burton, Scot Abr., I. iv. 207. John Knox, who was just returned from tasting the tender mercies of France as a galley-slave.

  † b.  To have carnal knowledge of. Obs.

1611.  Shaks., Cymb., II. iv. 57. If you can makm’t apparant That you have tasted her in Bed; my hand, And Ring is yours.

a. 1639.  T. Carew, Poems (1651), 32. So shalt thou be despis’d, fair Maid, When by the sated lover tasted.

1752.  Young, Brothers, IV. i. What, see, talk, touch, nay taste her!

  II.  Of the special sense that resides in the tongue and palate.

  4.  trans. To perceive by the sense of taste; to perceive or experience the taste or flavor of.

1340–70.  Alex. & Dind., 952. In menskinge of mouþ mirþe we hauen, In tendere touchinge of þing, & tastinge of swete.

c. 1375.  Cursor M., 23456 (Fairf.). In þis werlde has men liking … squete spiceri to tast [Cott. fell] & smelle.

c. 1430.  Lydg., Min. Poems, 14. Wellys most holsom of savour, For to be tasted of every governour.

c. 1440.  Promp. Parv., 487/1. Taastyn, gusto.

1535.  Coverdale, 2 Sam. xix. 35. This daye am I foure score yeare olde. How shulde I … taist what I eate or drynke?

1593.  Shaks., Rom. & Jul., I. iii. 30. When it did tast the Worme-wood.

1774.  Goldsm., Nat. Hist. (1776), VI. 242. When once it has tasted human flesh, it never desists from haunting those places where it expects the return of its prey.

1909.  Daily Chron., 17 Nov., 8/4. She said the smells were so bad that they could be tasted as well as smelt.

  † b.  fig. To perceive or recognize as by the sense of taste. Obs.

1583.  Babington, Commandm., i. 10. Euen a world it is to see how all, as dead, doo tast no sinne in it.

1591.  Harington, Orl. Fur., Pref. ¶ viij b. Three syllabled wordes … which who mislike, may tast lamp oyle with their eares.

1616.  B. Jonson, Devil an Ass, I. vi. Nay, then I taste a Trick in ’t.

  c.  absol. or intr. To experience or distinguish flavors; to have or exercise the sense of taste.

1387.  Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), II. 181. Þey … mowe noþer see ne hire, ne taste, ne smelle.

c. 1560.  A. Scott, Poems (S. T. S.), xxxi. 18. No wit salbe degest, To heir, se, smell, nor test.

1601.  Shaks., Twel. N., I. v. 98. O, you are sicke of selfe-loue, Maluolio, and taste with a distemper’d appetite.

Mod.  I have got a very bad cold, and can neither taste nor smell.

  5.  transf. (trans.) To perceive by some other sense, esp. smell. Now only poet. or dial.

1656.  Earl Monm., Advt. fr. Parnass., 380. Would you have men taste the odoriferousness of those Aromaticks which you … have brought from the Indies?

1674.  Ray, N. C. Words, To Tast; i. e. to smell in the North.

1796.  Pegge, Derbicisms (E.D.S.), Taste, to smell, in the North. See Ray. You commonly ask a person to taste your snuff.

1819.  Keats, Isabella, ix. I must taste the blossoms that unfold In its ripe warmth this gracious morning time.

1844.  Kinglake, Eôthen, ii. (1878), 25. To taste the cold breath of the earliest morn.

1891.  Frank Dempster Sherman, The Library, 15, Lyrics for a Lute, 108.

  6.  To try the flavor or quality of by the sense of taste; to put a small quantity of (something) into the mouth in order to ascertain the flavor, etc.; spec. to test the quality of by tasting, for trade purposes. Also absol.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 13403 (Cott.). Þai fild a cupp þan son in hast, And gaf it þe architricline to tast. Ibid., 16773 (Gött.). Þat bitter drinc … He tasted it, bot noght he dranc.

1388.  Wyclif, Rom. xi. 16. If a litil part of that that is tastid be hooli, the hool gobet is hooli.

1535.  Coverdale, Job xxxiv. 3. For like as the mouth tasteth [1382 Wyclif, bi tast demeth] the meates, so the eare proueth & discerneth the wordes.

1552.  Huloet, Taste afore or fyrste, prolibo.

1604.  in Eng. Gilds (1870), 435. The ale teaster to teast the ale before they sell it.

1769.  Cook, Voy. round World, I. iii. (1773), 44. Having tasted the liquor, they returned it, with strong expressions of disgust.

1837.  Whittock, etc., Bk. Trades (1842), 441. This system of tasting constitutes the acme of the great Teaman’s trade.

  b.  intr. with of: see 12 a.

  c.  spec. (trans.) To test or certify the wholesomeness of (food provided) by tasting it; also absol. to act as taster to a person. Also fig.

1595.  Shaks., John, V. vi. 28. How did he take it [poison]? Who did taste to him?

1600.  J. Pory, trans. Leo’s Africa, Introd. 32. He [the emperor] is tasted vnto, not before, but after he hath eaten and drunke.

1678.  Dryden, All for Love, I. i. 15. Thou and I, Like Time and Death, marching before our Troops, May taste fate to e’m; Mowe e’m out a passage.

1682.  Southerne, Loyal Brother, I. i. True, I make bold To taste their letters to ’em, as they pass Through my Employment.

  d.  fig. To make trial of as by the sense of taste; to try the quality of. Also with obj. cl., and absol. or intr. Cf. sense 2.

1382.  Wyclif, Ps. xxxiii. 9 [xxxiv. 8]. Tastith, and seeth, for sweete is the Lord.

1390.  Gower, Conf., II. 395. Mi fader, nay; bot I have tasted In many a place as I have go, And yit love I nevere on of tho.

1597.  Morley, Introd. Musicke, Annot. Who hath tasted the firste elements of musicke.

1601.  B. Jonson, Poetaster, V. iii. Then come home, And taste a piece of Terence.

1819.  Keats, Isabella, xlix. O turn thee to the very tale, And taste the music of that vision pale.

1896.  Mrs. Caffyn, Quaker Grandmother, 294. She waited breathlessly to taste the quality of her mercy.

  7.  To have or take a taste of (food or drink); to take only as much as is sufficient to try or perceive the taste of, to eat or drink a little; but often by meiosis, simply for ‘eat’ or ‘drink.’ Negatively, not to taste = not even to taste, not to eat or drink at all. Also fig. to get a ‘taste’ of.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 12559 (Cott.). Noþer durst þai drinc ne ete, Ne brek þair brede, ne tast þair mes Til he war cummen til þair des.

1382.  Wyclif, Luke xiv. 24. I seie to ȝou, for noone of tho men that ben clepid, schal taaste my souper.

1596.  Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot. (S. T. S.), I. 69. Of mony things we sal taist a few as we may.

1624.  Quarles, Job xi. Medit. 35. Wisdom digests, what knowledge did but tast.

1653.  Walton, Angler, i. 2. I often … taste a cup of Ale there.

1700.  Astry, trans. Saavedra-Faxardo, I. 31. It will suffice therefore for a Prince to tast the Arts and Sciences.

1754.  Gray, Pleasure, 60. She eyes the clear crystalline well [of Pleasure], And tastes it as it goes.

1853.  Kingsley, Hypatia, x. He had tasted no food since noon the day before.

  b.  absol. or intr. ellipt. for ‘taste wine or alcoholic drink’; to take a little drink. Sc.

1823.  Galt, R. Gilhaize, v. (E.D.D.), He pressed my grandfather to taste.

1901.  S. Macnaughton, Fortune of Chr. M‘Nab, ii. ‘Thank you,’ said Christina, ‘I do not taste.’

Mod. Sc. Will you not taste? Do you never taste?

  8.  To like the taste of (usually fig.); to relish, approve of, enjoy, like, take pleasure in; in earlier use sometimes in neutral sense: to appreciate. Now arch. or dial.

1605.  Earl of Salisbury, in Buccleuch MSS. (Hist. MSS. Comm.), 81. This [proposal] was at first but little tasted by them.

a. 1617.  Bayne, On Eph. i. (1634), 244. Many … taste their pottage, like Esau, better than their birthright.

1624.  Bedell, Lett., iv. 81. A more sensible proofe how the Pope tastes these Titles.

1751.  Chatham, Lett. Nephew, ii. 6. I hope you love and taste those authors [Homer and Vergil] particularly.

1768.  Earl Hardwicke, Lett., 17 May. The king seemed to taste the Duke of Grafton, and commended his parts.

1791.  Boswell, Johnson, 2 April, an. 1775. If I wondered at Johnson not tasting the works of Mason and Gray, still more have I wondered at their not tasting his works.

1805.  Mrs. R. Trench, in Rem. (1862), 170. Mad. de Sévigné, whom for the first time I really taste and admire.

1879.  Geo. Eliot, Theo. Such, i. 10. The work … I am told is much tasted in a Cherokee translation.

1896.  ‘Ian Maclaren,’ Kate Carnegie, 33. The story was much tasted by our guard’s admirers.

  9.  intr. Of a substance: To have a taste of a specified or implied kind; to produce a certain taste in the mouth; to have a taste or flavor of.

1552.  Huloet, Tastynge or castynge an yll taste or sauoure, virosus.

1615.  G. Sandys, Trav., 66. Blacke as soote and tasting not much unlike it.

1653.  Walton, Angler, iii. 73. It looks well, and tastes well.

1655.  Fuller, Ch. Hist., I. ii. § 11. This new Wine, put into old Vessels, did in after-Ages taste of the Caske.

1681.  Chetham, Angler’s Vade-m., xxxix. § 1 (1689), 253. It will make him to tast very sour.

1729.  Swift, Direct. Servants, Cook, ¶ 26. If your butter tastes of brass, it is your master’s fault.

1871.  Calverley, Proverb Philos., in Verses & Transl. (ed. 4), 95. Let him drink deeply…, nor grumble if it tasteth of the cork.

Mod.  The milk has begun to turn; it tastes rather sour.

  b.  fig. To produce a particular effect upon the mind or feelings; to partake of the nature, character, or quality of; to savor of.

1559.  W. Cunningham, Cosmogr. Glasse, 5. All other artes (whiche taste of the Mathematicalles).

c. 1575.  J. Hooker, Life Sir P. Carew (1857), 19. His behaviour tasting after the French manner.

1613.  Shaks., Hen. VIII., II. iii. 89. How tasts it? Is it bitter?

1621.  Sanderson, Serm., I. 179. This ungodly king Ahab; see how all that come of him, taste of him.

1840.  Clough, Dipsychus, Poems (1892), 109. The place, the air Tastes of the nearer north.

  † c.  trans. To savor of. Sc. Obs.

1596.  Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot., x. 417. Ony thing … of him said that taisted not Ill talk, haitred, and Invie.

  † 10.  To cause a pleasant taste in (the mouth); to affect (the palate) agreeably; hence fig. to please, suit, be agreeable to. (Orig. intr. with dative obj.; in quot. 1672 with to.) Obs.

a. 1586.  Sidney, Arcadia, III. (1622), 352. Bitter griefs tastes mee best, pain is my ease.

1624.  Heywood, Gunaik., VIII. 383. When wholesome foode would not tast their mouths, they devised sweet meates to realish their pallats. Ibid. (1631), Maid of West, III. Wks. 1874, II. 299. Call for what wine best tasts you.

1672.  Marvell, Reh. Transp., I. 184. Nothing less will taste to your palate.

  11.  To impart a taste or flavor to; to flavor; also fig. Now rare.

a. 1577.  Gascoigne, Flowers, Wks. (1587), 40. A salad or a sauce, to tast your cates withall.

1598.  B. Jonson, Ev. Man in Hum., I. iv. We will have a bunch of radish and salt to taste our wine.

1904.  J. Wells, J. H. Wilson, xxi. 293. All his teachings were coloured and tasted by the channel through which they ran.

  12.  Taste of, a construction used in several senses, sometimes simply = taste, sometimes = take a taste of, eat or drink a little of. So taste on (now dial.), † taste to (obs.).

  In some cases, as in quots. 1526 in b and c, perhaps a literalism of translation (not found in the Vulgate, Wyclif, or Rhemish N.T.); but see OF 29 a, and cf. take a taste of.

  a.  To make trial of by tasting, to try the taste of; = 6. Also fig. arch.

a. 1400–50.  Alexander, 2074. Þan pullis him vp þe proude kyng & on þe pepire tastis.

c. 1491.  Chast. Goddes Chyld., 11. The bee goth and tasteth of many fair floures.

c. 1550.  Cheke, Matt. xxvii. 34. When he had taasted on it [Tindale therof], he wold not drink.

1604–63.  Inscr. on Ch. Bells, in North, Ch. Bells Linc. (1882). I sweetly toling men do call to taste on meats that feeds the soule.

1807.  Southey, Espriella’s Lett., II. 196. We tasted of this bread: it was dry, but not unpleasant.

1848.  J. H. Newman, Loss & Gain, 154. I taste of every thing, I depend on nothing.

  b.  To eat or drink only a little of; with negative, not to eat or drink at all; = 7. Also fig.

13[?].  K. Alis., 5070 (Bodl. MS.). The kyng … forbed … Þat non ne shulde … or þe water drynk ne taste.

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 6427. The tydis not to taste of þis triet meite.

1526.  Tindale, Luke xiv. 24. None of those men which were bidden shall tast of my supper [μου τοῦ δείπνου].

1591.  Shaks., 1 Hen. VI., II. iii. 79. I craue … that we may Taste of your Wine.

1607.  Topsell, Four-f. Beasts (1658), 19. Asses are subject to madness when they have tasted to certain herbs growing neer Potnias.

1667.  Milton, P. L., IX. 651. Of this Tree we may not taste nor touch.

1699.  Dryden, Epist. to J. Dryden, 61. For age but tastes of pleasures, youth devours.

1765.  T. Hutchinson, Hist. Mass., I. ii. 232. They had but tasted of the words … of the gentlemen.

  c.  To have experience or knowledge of; to feel, experience; = 3.

1526.  Tindale, Matt. xvi. 28. Some there be a monge them that here stonde, whych shall nott taste of deeth [οὐ μὴ γεύσωνται θανάτου], tyll they shall [etc.].

1552.  Latimer, Serm. 4th Sund. Epiph. (1584), 315 b. He himself hath tasted of al trouble.

a. 1562.  G. Cavendish, Metr. Vis., Earl of Essex, vi. I ame tastyng on the payn.

1599.  Massinger, etc., Old Law, II. ii. So contentedly, You cannot think unless you tasted on’t.

1667.  Milton, P. L., IX. 476. Hope here to taste Of pleasure.

1742.  Gray, Adversity, 6. The Proud are taught to taste of pain.

1832.  Ht. Martineau, Ireland, v. 75. Wherever the population had tasted of oppression.

  † d.  = 3 b. Obs.

1607.  Tourneur, Rev. Trag., II. ii. I do embrace this season for the fittest To tast of that yong Lady.

  e.  See 9, 9 b.