Relish | Webster's Dictionary (1865)

Rĕl'ish, v. t.

verbtransitive

v. t. [imp. & p. p. RELISHED (rĕl'isht); p. pr. & vb. n. RELISHING.] [O. Fr. relécher, to lick or taste anew, from re, again, and lécher, to lick; Pr. lechar, lichar, liquar, It. leccare, from O. H. Ger. lecchōn, N. H. Ger. lecken, A-S. liccian, Eng. lick. Cf. LICK and LECHER.]

Sense 1. To taste or eat with pleasure; to like the flavor of; to partake of with gratification; hence, to enjoy; to be pleased with or gratified by; to experience pleasure from; as, to relish a dish.

Now I begin to relish thy advice. Shak.

He knows how to prize his advantages, and to relish the honors which he enjoys. Atterbury.

Sense 2. To give a pleasing flavor to; to impart poignancy or delicacy to; to cause to taste agreeably.

“A savory bit that served to relish wine.” Dryden.

Rēl'ish, v. i.

verbintransitive

v. i. 1. To have a pleasing taste; to give pleasure, gratification, or satisfaction; to be enjoyable.

Had I been the finder-out of this secret, it would not have relished among my other discredits. Shak.

Sense 2. To have a flavor. “A theory which, how much soever it may relish of wit and invention, hath no foundation in nature.” Woodward.

Rēl'ish, n.

noun

n. [See the verb.] 1. A pleasing taste; flavor that gratifies the palate.

While we abstained From this delightful fruit, nor knew till now True relish, tasting. Milton.

Sense 2. Hence, enjoyable quality; power of pleasing.

When liberty is gone, Life grows insipid, and has lost its relish. Addison.

Sense 3. Taste; flavor; savor; quality; characteristic tinge.

It preserves some relish of old writing. Pope.

Sense 4. Inclination or taste for; liking; appetite; fondness. “A relish for whatever was excellent in arts or letters.” Macaulay.

Sense 5. Enough merely to give a flavor; the smallest perceptible quantity; tinge.

Sense 6. That which is used to impart a flavor; specifically, something taken with food to render it more palatable.

Synonyms—Taste; savor; flavor; appetite; zest; gusto; liking; delight.