taste

noun

• 1the sensation of flavour perceived in the mouth and throat on contact with a substance:the wine had a fruity taste
• [mass noun] the faculty of perceiving taste:birds do not have a highly developed sense of taste
• a small portion of food or drink taken as a sample:try a taste of cheese
• a brief experience of something, conveying its basic character:it was his first taste of serious action

• 2a person’s liking for particular flavours:this pudding is too sweet for my taste
• a person’s tendency to like or be interested in something:he found the aggressive competitiveness of the profession was not to his taste have you lost your taste for fancy restaurants?

• 3 [mass noun] the ability to discern what is of good quality or of a high aesthetic standard:she has frightful taste in literature
• conformity or failure to conform with generally held views concerning what is offensive or acceptable:that’s a joke in very bad taste

verb

• 1perceive or experience the flavour of:she had never tasted ice cream before
• [no object] have a specified flavour:the coffee tasted of acorns [with complement]:the spinach tastes delicious
• sample the flavour of (food or drink) by taking it into the mouth:the waiter poured some wine for him to taste
• eat or drink a small portion of: she tasted course after course, but was unable to eat very much

• 2have experience of:the team has not yet tasted victory at home