tastes
[tˈests] /ˈtāst How to pronounce taste (audio)/ (ame, mw)
tastes — noun
1. the particular quality that food or drink has when it is in your mouth — for exa
the particular quality that food or drink has when it is in your mouth — for example, sweetness, sourness, or bitterness; or the physical ability of your tongue and mouth to notice these qualities.
The soup had a very strong taste of garlic and fresh herbs.
taste of + noun for specific flavor
Nora lost her sense of taste after a bad cold and could not enjoy any food.
sense of taste for physical ability
This cake has a sweet, fruity taste that small children seem to love.
The chef checked the taste of the sauce one last time before serving it.
Mayumi said the medicine had an awful taste, like bitter chalk mixed with sugar.
文法句型
taste of + noun
have a [adjective] taste
用法筆記
Uncountable when referring to the physical sense ('taste is one of the five senses'); countable when talking about a specific flavor ('three different tastes').
常見錯誤
2. a strong enjoyment of or desire for a particular thing, especially one that you
a strong enjoyment of or desire for a particular thing, especially one that you learn to like over time — for example, a taste for spicy food, classical music, or adventure.
Hao has developed a real taste for spicy Korean food since moving to Seoul.
develop a taste for + noun
Ayesha's taste for adventure took her to remote mountain villages in Nepal.
Justin never had much taste for classical music until he heard a live orchestra.
The children have acquired a taste for reading before bedtime.
Salma's taste for expensive clothes worried her parents, who lived on a small income.
文法句型
a taste for + noun/gerund
develop/acquire a taste for
用法筆記
Often used with 'develop' or 'acquire' to describe a preference that grows over time rather than being immediate. 'A taste for' typically takes a noun or gerund phrase.
常見錯誤
3. a small quantity of food or drink that you take into your mouth in order to see
a small quantity of food or drink that you take into your mouth in order to see what flavor it has or to decide whether you like it.
Kasia took a tiny taste of the cheese and nodded in approval.
a taste of + food noun
The waiter offered Lucia a taste of the new red wine from Chile.
Can I have just a taste of your ice cream to see if I like it?
Anna gave the baby a tiny taste of mashed banana on her fingertip.
Eitan asked for a taste of the curry before ordering a full portion.
文法句型
a taste of + noun
just/only a taste
用法筆記
Usually found in the singular ('a taste'). This sense is distinct from sense 1 in that it emphasizes the small quantity rather than the flavor quality itself.
常見錯誤
4. the things or types of things that a person likes or chooses in areas such as mu
the things or types of things that a person likes or chooses in areas such as music, fashion, books, or home decoration, reflecting their individual preferences.
Lucia and her sister have very different tastes in music.
taste in + category noun
The furniture in the room reflected Ife's elegant taste in design and color.
Obi's taste in movies runs to old black-and-white films from the 1950s.
Zuri's taste in clothing is simple but stylish, avoiding loud patterns.
Sora and Marta argued about whose taste in art was better.
- preference
more neutral, less about quality judgment than 'taste'
- inclination
more formal, suggests a natural tendency
文法句型
taste in + noun (music/fashion/art)
to someone's taste
用法筆記
Use 'taste in' followed by a category (music, fashion, art). The plural 'tastes' is common here ('their tastes differ'). Compare with sense 2, which uses 'taste for' followed by the specific thing itself.
常見錯誤
5. the ability to recognize and choose what is attractive, appropriate, or of good
the ability to recognize and choose what is attractive, appropriate, or of good quality, especially in art, fashion, behavior, or design.
The designer showed excellent taste when she chose soft neutral colors for the living room.
excellent taste + verb + object
Making that joke at the funeral showed very poor taste and upset many people.
poor taste — behavioral context
Nora has impeccable taste in interior design and is often asked for advice.
The manager's choice of artwork for the office was in excellent taste.
A person of taste knows that simplicity often beats decoration.
- discernment
more formal, emphasizes careful judgment
- discrimination
formal, can be positive (refined taste) or negative (unfair treatment)
- refinement
focuses on sophistication and polish
文法句型
good/bad/excellent/poor taste
a person of taste
用法筆記
Uncountable in this sense — do not say 'a good taste' when referring to judgment. 'Good taste' (no article) means the ability itself, not a single flavor. Frequently used with 'show', 'have', or the phrase 'in good/bad taste'.
常見錯誤
6. the full collection of likes and interests that a person has across different ar
the full collection of likes and interests that a person has across different areas, always expressed in the plural 'tastes' to show how they change over time, differ between people, or cover a wide range.
As people grow older, their tastes often change in surprising and unexpected ways.
tastes change — plural subject
The restaurant menu offers dishes for all tastes, from mild to very spicy.
for all tastes — inclusive range
Hao's tastes have moved away from pop music toward jazz and blues.
Having similar tastes made it easy for them to choose furniture together.
Mayumi's tastes in food are quite different from her brother's preferences.
- preferences
more neutral, less aesthetic in tone
- likes
informal, simpler, used in 'likes and dislikes'
- dislikes
the things someone does not like
文法句型
someone's tastes
for all tastes
tastes differ/change
用法筆記
Always plural. While sense 4 (PERSONAL PREFERENCE) uses the singular 'taste in' to talk about likes within a single category (music, fashion, art), this sense uses the plural 'tastes' to describe the whole evolving collection of what a person likes — it is the form used with phrases like 'tastes change', 'tastes differ', or 'for all tastes'. Sense 2 (LIKING) is also distinct: it uses the singular 'a taste for' to mean a strong liking for one specific thing.
7. a brief encounter with something that is enough to show you what a longer or ful
a brief encounter with something that is enough to show you what a longer or fuller experience of it would feel like.
The internship gave Kasia a taste of what it is like to work in a busy hospital.
a taste of + wh-clause
After just one week in Paris, Anna had a taste of the French lifestyle.
The team's victory gave them their first taste of success in three long years.
Justin got a taste of fame when his photo appeared on the front page of the newspaper.
Living alone for a month gave Salma a taste of independence and responsibility.
文法句型
a taste of + noun (success/fame/freedom/independence)
用法筆記
Always uses the singular 'a taste' followed by 'of' + an abstract noun (success, fame, freedom) or a clause. This is a metaphorical extension of the literal noun sense 3 (SMALL AMOUNT).
常見錯誤
tastes — verb
- tastespresent simple I / you / we / they
- tasteses3rd person singular
- tastesing-ing form
- tastesedpast simple
1. to put a small amount of food or drink into your mouth in order to see what flav
to put a small amount of food or drink into your mouth in order to see what flavor it has, especially to check whether it is ready, seasoned enough, or still fresh.
Sora tasted the soup and decided it needed a little more salt.
taste + direct object (food)
The chef always tastes the sauce before serving it to customers.
Eitan carefully tasted the wine to see if it had gone bad.
'You should taste this curry,' said Ife, holding out a spoon to her friend.
Lucia tasted a piece of the cheese and nodded with satisfaction.
文法句型
taste + noun (soup, sauce, wine)
imperative: Taste + noun
用法筆記
This is an action verb — you deliberately put food or drink in your mouth to check its flavor. Compare with verb sense 2 (HAVE FLAVOR), which describes what the food itself does, not an action by a person.
常見錯誤
2. used to describe the specific flavor of food or drink when it enters your mouth
used to describe the specific flavor of food or drink when it enters your mouth — for example, something can taste sweet, salty, bitter, or like a particular ingredient.
The cake tasted sweet and fruity, just like a summer afternoon.
taste + adjective (sweet)
Zuri said the water tasted strange, as if it had metal in it.
This bread tastes of fresh herbs and olive oil from the garden.
The soup tastes too salty; did you add extra soy sauce by mistake?
Marta's homemade lemonade tastes much better than the store-bought kind.
文法句型
taste + adjective (sweet/bitter/salty)
taste like + noun
taste of + noun
用法筆記
This is a linking verb — it connects the subject to an adjective ('tastes sweet') or a phrase ('tastes like chicken'). It cannot be used in the continuous form: say 'this tastes good', NOT 'this is tasting good'.
常見錯誤
3. to have a short experience of something, especially an emotional or life-changin
to have a short experience of something, especially an emotional or life-changing event such as success, freedom, or defeat, which gives you a sense of what a full experience would be like.
The young musician tasted fame for the first time when her song went viral online.
taste fame/success — metaphorical
After years of hard training, the team finally tasted victory at the national championship.
Nora tasted freedom when she moved out of her parents' house and rented her own apartment.
The army tasted defeat before it could regroup and launch a counterattack.
As a child, Hao tasted the thrill of flying when his uncle took him up in a small plane.
- experience
more general, less dramatic than 'taste'
- savor
emphasizes enjoying the moment fully
- encounter
more neutral, can be positive or negative
文法句型
taste + noun (victory/defeat/freedom/success/fame)
用法筆記
This is a literary or semi-formal usage. Common objects are abstract nouns expressing strong experiences: 'victory', 'defeat', 'freedom', 'success', 'fame', 'power'. Avoid using it with ordinary physical objects or everyday experiences.
常見錯誤
tastes — idiom
1. used to say that something is the type of thing that a particular person likes o
used to say that something is the type of thing that a particular person likes or enjoys — for example, music, art, food, or entertainment that suits their preferences.
The music at the party was not to everyone's taste, but the host loved it.
be not to someone's taste — negative form
The gallery owner carefully selected paintings that would be to the collector's taste.
be to someone's taste — positive, formal
If the dessert is too sweet for your taste, you can ask for a different one.
The hotel offers a wide range of activities to suit all tastes.
文法句型
be to someone's taste
be not to someone's taste
if something is to your taste
用法筆記
This idiom always involves a possessive reference (someone's taste / your taste / everyone's taste). The most common structure is 'be + to + possessive + taste'. A common variant uses 'suit' instead of 'be': 'suit someone's taste'.