relish
Part of speech: noun
verb
Morphological type: simple
Etymology: The noun is a variant of release (“(obsolete) odour, scent”), from Middle English reles, relese (“odour, scent; taste; efficacy, power”), probably from Anglo-Norman reles, relais, or Old French reles, relais (“that which is left behind, remainder, residue”), from relaisser, relaschier (“to liberate, release; to relax”) (modern French relâcher), from Latin relaxāre, the present active infinitive of relaxō (“to stretch out or widen again, loosen, slacken; (figurative) to ease, relax”), from re- (prefix meaning ‘again; back, backwards’) + laxō (“to release, undo; to relax”) (from laxus (“spacious, wide; loose, slack”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)leg- (“to slacken; to tire out”)) + -ō (suffix forming regular first-conjugation verbs)). Doublet of release.
The verb is derived from the noun.
Inflected forms:
form: relishes
pos: noun
tags: plural
form: rellish
pos: noun
tags: alternative
form: relishes
pos: verb
tags: present
singular
third-person
form: relishing
pos: verb
tags: participle
present
form: relished
pos: verb
tags: participle
past
form: relished
pos: verb
tags: past
form: no-table-tags
pos: verb
tags: table-tags
form: glossary
pos: verb
tags: inflection-template
form: relish
pos: verb
tags: infinitive
form: relish
pos: verb
tags: first-person
present
singular
form: relished
pos: verb
tags: first-person
past
singular
form: relish
pos: verb
tags: present
second-person
singular
form: relishest
pos: verb
tags: archaic
present
second-person
singular
form: relished
pos: verb
tags: past
second-person
singular
form: relishedst
pos: verb
tags: archaic
past
second-person
singular
form: relishes
pos: verb
tags: present
singular
third-person
form: relisheth
pos: verb
tags: archaic
present
singular
third-person
form: relished
pos: verb
tags: past
singular
third-person
form: relish
pos: verb
tags: plural
present
form: relished
pos: verb
tags: past
plural
form: relish
pos: verb
tags: present
subjunctive
form: relished
pos: verb
tags: past
subjunctive
form: relish
pos: verb
tags: imperative
present
form: -
pos: verb
tags: imperative
past
form: relishing
pos: verb
tags: participle
present
form: relished
pos: verb
tags: participle
past
Senses:
gloss: Flavour or taste; (countable) an instance of this.
pos: noun
tags: obsolete
uncountable
examples: Much pleasure we have lost while we abstained / From this delightful fruit, nor known till now / True relish, tasting.
The Caſe is the ſame if the Object, proper for exciting any Senſation, has never been apply'd to the Organ. A Laplander or Negro has no Notion of the reliſh of VVine.
gloss: Followed by for: one's liking or taste for something; a fondness.
pos: noun
tags: countable
figuratively
obsolete
examples: I have a relish for moderate praise, because it bids fair to be judicious.
One of the first acts which he was under the necessity of performing must have been painful to a man of so generous a nature, and of so keen a relish for whatever was excellent in arts and letters.
gloss: A small amount; a tinge, a trace.
pos: noun
tags: countable
figuratively
obsolete
gloss: Ability to taste or (figurative) enjoy.
pos: noun
tags: figuratively
obsolete
uncountable
gloss: Particular quality; (countable) an instance of this; a characteristic or quality.
pos: noun
tags: figuratively
obsolete
uncountable
examples: [T]hat Air of piety to the Gods ſhould ſhine thro' the Poem, vvhich ſo viſibly appears in all the vvorks of antiquity: And it ought to preſerve ſome reliſh of the old vvay of vvriting; the connections ſhould be looeſ, the narrations and decſriptions ſhort, and the periods conciſe.
gloss: Enjoyment of flavour or taste; (countable) an instance of this.
pos: noun
tags: broadly
uncountable
gloss: Enjoyment of something pleasant; (countable) an instance of this.
pos: noun
tags: broadly
figuratively
uncountable
examples: Jews and Israel are not synonymous; nor is support for Palestine synonymous with anti-Semitism; nor is questioning the orthodoxy of the Republican party, which the majority of us do with relish, an insult to Jewry.
gloss: Appetizing or pleasant flavour or taste; (countable) an instance of this.
pos: noun
tags: archaic
broadly
uncountable
gloss: Pleasant quality; (countable) an instance of this.
pos: noun
tags: archaic
broadly
figuratively
uncountable
examples: When liberty is gone, / Life grows insipid, and has lost its relish.
gloss: A savoury dish or course of dishes, especially one accompanying rather than forming the main part of a meal; an appetizer, a side dish.
pos: noun
tags: broadly
countable
gloss: A savoury dish or course of dishes, especially one accompanying rather than forming the main part of a meal; an appetizer, a side dish.
pos: noun
tags: broadly
countable
figuratively
uncountable
gloss: A condiment or sauce added to food for a spicy or tangy flavour; specifically, one made with chopped, pickled fruit or vegetables.
pos: noun
tags: broadly
countable
uncountable
examples: Congressmen gleefully wolfed down every imaginable version of the hot dog – smoked kielbasas, jumbo grillers, Big & Juicy's, kosher dogs and spiced dogs – topped with every imaginable condiment – hot mustard, sweet mustard, jalapenos, spaghetti sauce, regular relish, corn relish, maple syrup salsa and the secret sauce of Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.). ("If I told you the recipe," an aide explained, "I'd have to shoot you.")
gloss: To give (something) (a pleasant) flavour or taste; to make appetizing.
pos: verb
tags: transitive
examples: The olde man, which marrieth a yonge Wyfe, is ſure of this ſowre ſauce, to relliſh his ſwete Imaginations: […]
And yet as earthly happines herein comes ſhort of heauen, that it is neuer meere and vnmixed, but hath ſome ſovvre ſauce to relliſh it: ſo falleth it as farre ſhort of hell, that not onely hope, but the moſt miſerable hap, hath ſome glimpſe of comfort.
By this the boiling Kettle had prepar'd, / And to the Table ſent, the ſmoaking Lard; / On which the eager Appetite they dine, / A ſav'ry Bit, that ſerv'd to relliſh Wine: […]
Your Herrings, Sir, came hale and feer, / In healſome Brine a' foumin, / Fu' fat they are, and guſty Gear / As e'er I laid my Thumb on: / […] / They reliſh fine / Good Claret VVine, / That gars our Cares ſtand yon.
[T]he wisdom-tooth, just cut, of the age, that's found / With gums obtuse to gust and smack which relished so / The meat o' the meal folks made some fifty years ago.
gloss: To take delight or pleasure in (someone or oneself, or something).
pos: verb
tags: also
figuratively
reflexive
sometimes
transitive
examples: He relishes their time together.
I don’t relish the idea of going out tonight.
It had another Cataſtrophe or Concluſion, at the firſt Playing: vvhich […] many ſeem'd not to relliſh it; and therefore 'tvvas ſince alter'd: […]
I neuer truly reliſht my ſelfe, before.
O vvhy ſhould nature nigardly reſtraine, / The Sotherne Nations reliſh not our tongue, / Elſe ſhould my lines gline on the vvaues of Rhene [Rhine], / And crovvne the Pirens [Pyrenees] vvith my liuing ſong; […]
This policie of age makes the vvorld bitter to the beſt of our times, keepes our fortunes from vs till our oldnes cannot reliſh them, […]
[…] I am confident, that the manner of handling vſed therein, in taxing the Abuſes vvith ſuch Freedone, as (it may be) ſome vvill not relliſh, vvill yet be by ſo much more acceptable to you, […]
I once more ſmell the devv and rain, / And reliſh verſing: […]
But every true chriſtian comes, and reliſheth what is ſpiritual: and when outward things can convey, in ſimilitudes, ſpiritual things aptly to the mind, he reliſheth this, not as elegant, and pleaſing his fancy, ſo much, as for conveying the voice of Chriſt unto his ſoul.
He vvho thus eſteems and reverences himſelf, […] vvill knovv hovv to prize his Advantages, and to reliſh the Honours vvhich he enjoys; […]
Thine eye ſhall be inſtructed, and thine heart / Made pure, ſhall reliſh vvith divine delight / 'Till then unfelt, vvhat hands divine have vvrought.
And January winds, after a day / Of butchering, will make them relish carrion.
It is better, I take it, to laugh than to cry; and, Reader, I hope thou relishest a joke.
His [Petrarch's] fine taste taught him to relish the beauties of Virgil and Cicero, and his ardent praises of them inspired his compatriots with a desire for classical knowledge.
It is questionable whether any man quite relishes being mistaken for any other man; […]
I wish I could make you a pink cream, Mr. Soames, like in the old days; you did so relish them.
"Nurses are not relishing this," she said. "We are acting with a very heavy heart. It has been a difficult decision taken by hundreds of thousands who begin to remove their labour from tomorrow in a bid to be heard, recognised and valued.[…]"
Few political careers start when people are in their 70s, but [Peter] Hendy is actually relishing it, although he is incensed sometimes by the pointlessness of the posturing by the opposition, which keeps him up late. "The bit I don't like is getting home at 0100 or 0200 in the morning because the opposition have been fruitlessly arguing for a long time."
gloss: To eat or taste (drink, food, etc.).
pos: verb
tags: obsolete
transitive
examples: [S]he being not vnprouided of ſtrong poyſon at that inſtant, in the Popes outward chamber ſo mingled it, that when his Grand-ſublimity-taſter came to reliſh it, he ſunke downe ſtark dead on the pauement.
Friend? Is there any ſuch fooliſh thing i'the vvorld? ha? S'lid I ne're relliſht it yet.
Such a dainty Doe, to be taken / By one that knovvs not necke-beefe from a Pheſant, / Nor cannot relliſh Braggat from Ambroſia.
gloss: To provide (someone, or their appetite, mouth, stomach, etc.) with something appetizing or tasty.
pos: verb
tags: obsolete
transitive
examples: [T]o relliſh the pallat of lickeriſh expectation, and withall to giue an Item how ſudden a ſlabber this ruffianly ſwaggerer (Death) is, […]
gloss: To appreciate or understand (something).
pos: verb
tags: figuratively
obsolete
transitive
examples: Giue me a huſband that vvill fill mine armes, / Of ſteddie iudgement, quicke and nimble ſenſe: / Fooles reliſh not a Ladies excellence.
Novv Vlyſſes, I begin to reliſh thy aduiſe, / And I vvill giue a taſte thereof forthvvith, / To Agamemnon, […]
VVhy vvhat neede vve / Commune vvith you of this? […] if you, or ſtupified, / Or ſeeming ſo, in ſkill, cannot, or vvill not / Relliſh truth, like vs: informe your ſelues / VVe neede no more of your aduice: […]
[T]he following song is an old ode, which I present to the public in a new edition, with the several various readings which I find of it in former editions, and in ancient manuscripts. Those who cannot relish the various readings, will perhaps find their account in the song, which never before appeared in print.
gloss: To experience (something); also (rare), to feel (something).
pos: verb
tags: figuratively
obsolete
transitive
examples: VVe poore commons (vvho taſting vvarre, are made to relliſh nothing but taxes) can do nothing but grieue, to ſee things vnlavvful practiſed, to obtein things impoſſible.
Haſt thou (vvhich art but aire) a touch, a feeling / Of their afflictions, and ſhall not my ſelfe, / One of their kinde, that relliſh all as ſharpely, / Paſſion as they, be kindlier mou'd then thou art?
gloss: To have a particular opinion about (someone or something); to receive, to regard.
pos: verb
tags: figuratively
obsolete
transitive
examples: VVhich inſolent ſpeech the Engliſh Biſhops reliſhed ſo harſhly, that they preſently vvith one voyce threatned to accurſe and excommunicate by name the Kings principall vvicked Counſellers; […]
One morning, vvhile he vvas bathing in the ſea, his man Clinker took it in his head that his maſter vvas in danger of drovvning; and, in this conceit, plunging into the vvater, he lugged him out naked on the beach, and almoſt pulled off his ear in the operation. You may gueſs hovv this atchievement vvas reliſhed by Mr. Bramble, vvho is impatient, iraſcible, and has the moſt extravagant ideas of decency and decorum in the œconomy of his ovvn perſon— […]
gloss: To have a tinge or trace of (something).
pos: verb
tags: figuratively
obsolete
transitive
examples: This vvas Theatricall vvit, right Stage-jeſting, and reliſhing a Play-houſe, invented for ſcorne, and laughter; […]
gloss: To provide (someone) with something delightful or pleasant; to delight, to gratify, to please.
pos: verb
tags: figuratively
obsolete
transitive
gloss: Followed by in: to take delight or pleasure.
pos: verb
tags: figuratively
intransitive
gloss: To have a particular (specifically, a pleasant) flavour or taste.
pos: verb
tags: intransitive
obsolete
examples: [G]ood ſalt cannot relyſh in ſo vnſauory a mouth, […]
No more the Bleſſings of a Feaſt / Shall reliſh on the Tongue, / The heavy Ear forgets the Taſte / And Pleaſure of a Song.
[A] glass of old port or humming ale hardly relishes as it ought without the infusion of some lively topic that had its birth with the day, and perishes before night.
gloss: To have a particular (specifically, a favourable) characteristic or quality.
pos: verb
tags: figuratively
intransitive
obsolete
examples: But if any ſhall inquire farther as concerning Thetis, my aunſwere muſt then relliſh after the Oracle at Delphos, that euermore left the certaintie of thinges to vncertaine euentes, and howſoeuer it hapned with or contrarie to expectation, yet ſtill the euent made good the oracle: […]
[N]othing can reliſh in their thoughtes that ſauours of ſvveet youth: […]
How ſwéete your howlings relliſh in mine eares?
[H]ad I beene the finder-out of this Secret, it vvould not have relliſh'd among my other diſcredits.
[T]hirſt, heat, ſands, ſerpents vvere pleaſant to a valiant man, honorable enterpriſes are accompanied vvith dangers and damages, as experience evinceth, they vvill make the reſt of thy life relliſh the better, […]
[W]hen they are thus vvon to a liking of our perſons, and carriage, they vvill be then vvell capable of our holy counſels; Then vvill the Chriſtian faith begin to reliſh vvith them; […]
Afflictions relliſh ſoure and bitter even to the pallats of the beſt Saints.
This Part of Friday’s Diſcourſe began to reliſh vvith me very vvell, and from this Time I entertain'd ſome Hopes, that one Time or other, I might find an Opportunity to make my Eſcape from this Place; […]
gloss: To have a tinge or trace of something.
pos: verb
tags: figuratively
intransitive
obsolete
examples: You ſhould not haue beleeu'd me, for vertue cannot ſo e[n]oculat our old ſtock, but vve ſhall reliſh of it, I loued you not.
[B]y often praying in ſuch manner and in all circumſtances, vve ſhall habituate our ſouls to prayer, by making it the buſineſs of many leſſer portions of our time: and by thruſting in betvveen all our other imployments, it vvill make every thing reliſh of Religion, and by degrees turn all into its nature.
[A] Theory vvhich, hovv much ſoever it may reliſh of VVit and Invention, hath no real Foundation either in Nature or Hiſtory, […]
[H]e could do it because his piety was of the true sort, and relished of everything that was sweet and affectionate.
Those things that still smacked of winter were all rusty about her, and those things that had already relished of the spring had put forth the tender and lively colours of the season.
gloss: To provide delight or pleasure.
pos: verb
tags: figuratively
intransitive
obsolete
Derived words: disrelish
relished
relishsome
relishy
unrelishness
relishable
relisher
relishing
unrelishable
unrelished
Translations: