gustus

gustus, ūs, m. [kindred with Sanscr. ǵush, to be fond of; Gr. geuô, geuomai, geusis, taste], a tasting of food, a partaking slightly or eating a little of any thing (mostly post-Aug.; not in Cic.; cf.: gustatus, sapor).

I.

Lit.

1.

In gen.:

minister inferre epulas et explorare gustu solitus,

Tac. A. 12, 66:

explorare aliquid gustu,

Col. 1, 8, 18; 2, 2, 20; cf. Plin. 31, 10, 46, § 114:

gustu libata potio,

Tac. A. 13, 16:

cum ille ad primum gustum concidisset,

Suet. Ner. 33:

sine crebro salis gustu,

Plin. 31, 6, 32, § 61.—

2.

In partic.

a.

A light dish at the beginning of a Roman meal, an antepast, whet, relish, = gustatio, Mart. 11, 31, 4; 11, 52, 12:

gustus elementa per omnia quaerunt,

Juv. 11, 14.—Also in a neutr. form:

gustum versatile sic facies,

Apic. 4, 5, § 181 sqq.—

b.

A draught of water:

profer ex illa amphora gustum,

Petr. 77 fin. —

B.

Transf., taste, flavor, = sapor (post-Aug.):

attrahatur spiritu is sucus, donec in ore gustus ejus sentiatur,

Cels. 6, 8, 6; Col. 3, 2, 24; Plin. 14, 1, 3, § 12; 26, 8, 50, § 82; 27, 12, 96, § 121 sq.—

II.

Trop. (post-Aug.).

A.

(Acc. to I. 2. a.) A foretaste, specimen:

ad hunc gustum totum librum repromitto,

Plin. Ep. 4, 27, 5:

expetens versificationis nostrae gustum,

Col. 11, 1, 2:

gustum tibi dare volui,

Sen. Ep. 114, 18.—

B.

(Acc. to I. B.) Taste:

urbanitas significat sermonem praeferentem in verbis et sono et usu proprium quendam gustum urbis,

Quint. 6, 3, 17.