TASTE

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does taste mean? 

• TASTE (noun)
  The noun TASTE has 7 senses:

1. the sensation that results when taste buds in the tongue and throat convey information about the chemical composition of a soluble stimulus

2. a strong liking

3. delicate discrimination (especially of aesthetic values)

4. a brief experience of something

5. a small amount eaten or drunk

6. the faculty of distinguishing sweet, sour, bitter, and salty properties in the mouth

7. a kind of sensing; distinguishing substances by means of the taste buds

  Familiarity information: TASTE used as a noun is common.

• TASTE (verb)
  The verb TASTE has 6 senses:

1. have flavor; taste of something

2. perceive by the sense of taste

3. take a sample of

4. have a distinctive or characteristic taste

5. distinguish flavors

6. experience briefly

  Familiarity information: TASTE used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• TASTE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The sensation that results when taste buds in the tongue and throat convey information about the chemical composition of a soluble stimulus

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

gustatory perception; gustatory sensation; taste; taste perception; taste sensation

Context example:

the melon had a delicious taste

Hypernyms ("taste" is a kind of...):

aesthesis; esthesis; sensation; sense datum; sense experience; sense impression (an unelaborated elementary awareness of stimulation)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "taste"):

sugariness; sweet; sweetness (the taste experience when sugar dissolves in the mouth)

sour; sourness; tartness (the taste experience when vinegar or lemon juice is taken into the mouth)

bitter; bitterness (the taste experience when quinine or coffee is taken into the mouth)

salinity; salt; saltiness (the taste experience when common salt is taken into the mouth)

astringence; astringency (a sharp astringent taste; the taste experience when a substance causes the mouth to pucker)

finish ((wine tasting) the taste of a wine on the back of the tongue (as it is swallowed))

flatness (a deficiency in flavor)

mellowness (a taste (especially of fruit) that is ripe and of full flavor)

flavor; flavour; nip; relish; sapidity; savor; savour; smack; tang (the taste experience when a savoury condiment is taken into the mouth)

Derivation:

taste (perceive by the sense of taste)

taste (distinguish flavors)

taste (have flavor; taste of something)

taste (have a distinctive or characteristic taste)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A strong liking

Classified under:

Nouns denoting feelings and emotions

Synonyms:

penchant; predilection; preference; taste

Context example:

the Irish have a penchant for blarney

Hypernyms ("taste" is a kind of...):

liking (a feeling of pleasure and enjoyment)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "taste"):

acquired taste (a preference that is only acquired after considerable experience)

weakness (a penchant for something even though it might not be good for you)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Delicate discrimination (especially of aesthetic values)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

appreciation; discernment; perceptiveness; taste

Context example:

to ask at that particular time was the ultimate in bad taste

Hypernyms ("taste" is a kind of...):

discrimination; secernment (the cognitive process whereby two or more stimuli are distinguished)

Attribute:

tasteful (having or showing or conforming to good taste)

tasteless (lacking aesthetic or social taste)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "taste"):

style; trend; vogue (the popular taste at a given time)

culture (the tastes in art and manners that are favored by a social group)

delicacy; discretion (refined taste; tact)

connoisseurship; vertu; virtu (love of or taste for fine objects of art)

Sense 4

Meaning:

A brief experience of something

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Context example:

she enjoyed her brief taste of independence

Hypernyms ("taste" is a kind of...):

experience (an event as apprehended)

Derivation:

taste (experience briefly)

Sense 5

Meaning:

A small amount eaten or drunk

Classified under:

Nouns denoting foods and drinks

Synonyms:

mouthful; taste

Context example:

take a taste--you'll like it

Hypernyms ("taste" is a kind of...):

small indefinite amount; small indefinite quantity (an indefinite quantity that is below average size or magnitude)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "taste"):

bit; bite; morsel (a small amount of solid food; a mouthful)

sup; swallow (a small amount of liquid food)

Holonyms ("taste" is a part of...):

helping; portion; serving (an individual quantity of food or drink taken as part of a meal)

Derivation:

taste (take a sample of)

Sense 6

Meaning:

The faculty of distinguishing sweet, sour, bitter, and salty properties in the mouth

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

gustation; gustatory modality; sense of taste; taste

Context example:

his cold deprived him of his sense of taste

Hypernyms ("taste" is a kind of...):

modality; sense modality; sensory system (a particular sense)

exteroception (sensitivity to stimuli originating outside of the body)

Derivation:

taste (perceive by the sense of taste)

taste (distinguish flavors)

taste (have flavor; taste of something)

taste (have a distinctive or characteristic taste)

tasty (pleasing to the sense of taste)

Sense 7

Meaning:

A kind of sensing; distinguishing substances by means of the taste buds

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

taste; tasting

Context example:

a wine tasting

Hypernyms ("taste" is a kind of...):

perception; sensing (becoming aware of something via the senses)

Derivation:

taste (distinguish flavors)

taste (perceive by the sense of taste)

taste (have a distinctive or characteristic taste)

taste (have flavor; taste of something)

• TASTE (verb)

Conjugation:

Sense 1

Meaning:

Have flavor; taste of something

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Synonyms:

savor; savour; taste

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "taste"):

smack; taste (have a distinctive or characteristic taste)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Something ----s Adjective/Noun

Sentence example:

The food does taste good

Derivation:

taste (a kind of sensing; distinguishing substances by means of the taste buds)

taste (the faculty of distinguishing sweet, sour, bitter, and salty properties in the mouth)

taste (the sensation that results when taste buds in the tongue and throat convey information about the chemical composition of a soluble stimulus)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Perceive by the sense of taste

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Context example:

Can you taste the garlic?

Hypernyms (to "taste" is one way to...):

comprehend; perceive (to become aware of through the senses)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "taste"):

savor; savour (taste appreciatively)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

taste (a kind of sensing; distinguishing substances by means of the taste buds)

taste (the faculty of distinguishing sweet, sour, bitter, and salty properties in the mouth)

taste (the sensation that results when taste buds in the tongue and throat convey information about the chemical composition of a soluble stimulus)

tasting (a kind of sensing; distinguishing substances by means of the taste buds)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Take a sample of

Classified under:

Verbs of eating and drinking

Synonyms:

sample; taste; try; try out

Context example:

Sample the regional dishes

Hypernyms (to "taste" is one way to...):

consume; have; ingest; take; take in (serve oneself to, or consume regularly)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "taste"):

degust (taste with relish)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

They taste more bread

Derivation:

tasting (a small amount (especially of food or wine))

taster (someone who samples food or drink for its quality)

taste (a small amount eaten or drunk)

tasting (taking a small amount into the mouth to test its quality)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Have a distinctive or characteristic taste

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Synonyms:

smack; taste

Context example:

This tastes of nutmeg

Hypernyms (to "taste" is one way to...):

savor; savour; taste (have flavor; taste of something)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Derivation:

taste (a kind of sensing; distinguishing substances by means of the taste buds)

taste (the faculty of distinguishing sweet, sour, bitter, and salty properties in the mouth)

taste (the sensation that results when taste buds in the tongue and throat convey information about the chemical composition of a soluble stimulus)

tasting (a kind of sensing; distinguishing substances by means of the taste buds)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Distinguish flavors

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Context example:

We tasted wines last night

Hypernyms (to "taste" is one way to...):

identify (consider to be equal or the same)

"Taste" entails doing...:

taste (perceive by the sense of taste)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

taste (the sensation that results when taste buds in the tongue and throat convey information about the chemical composition of a soluble stimulus)

taster (someone who samples food or drink for its quality)

taste (the faculty of distinguishing sweet, sour, bitter, and salty properties in the mouth)

taste (a kind of sensing; distinguishing substances by means of the taste buds)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Experience briefly

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Context example:

The ex-slave tasted freedom shortly before she died

Hypernyms (to "taste" is one way to...):

experience; know; live (have firsthand knowledge of states, situations, emotions, or sensations)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

taste (a brief experience of something)

 Context examples 

I would wish every thing to be as much to your taste as possible.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

His tongue felt dry and large, as though covered with a fine hairy growth, and it tasted bitter in his mouth.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

The results could be used along with breeding strategies to manipulate crop plants for nutritional and taste benefits.

(Is a milder mustard on the way?, National Science Foundation)

Look! look!" he cried suddenly. "There's something in that wind and in the hoast beyont that sounds, and looks, and tastes, and smells like death.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

This taste aversion not only induces rejection and avoidance, but also loss of appetite.

(Researchers identify area of the amygdala involved in taste aversion, University of Granada)

Speak your opinion, for ladies can best tell the taste of ladies in regard to places as well as men.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

Such a place as Sotherton Court deserves everything that taste and money can do.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

Amy knew her good points, and made the most of them with the taste and skill which is a fortune to a poor and pretty woman.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

The taste of it was good.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

“I admire your taste, sir,” says Mr. Chestle.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)