Wiktionary

relish

English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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Alteration of reles (“scent, taste, aftertaste”), from Old French relais, reles (“something remaining, that which is left behind”), from relaisser (“to leave behind”).

Pronunciation

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  • (UK, US) IPA(key): /ˈɹɛl.ɪʃ/
  • Audio (US):(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɛlɪʃ

Noun

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relish (countable and uncountable, plural relishes)

  1. A pleasant taste.
    • 1667, John Milton, “Book IX”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
      Much pleasure we have lost while we abstained / From this delightful fruit, nor known till now / True relish, tasting.
    • 1748, [David Hume], “Essay II. Of the Origin of Ideas.”, in Philosophical Essays Concerning Human Understanding, London: […] A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC, page 25:
      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.
  2. Enjoyment; pleasure.
  3. A quality or characteristic tinge.
    • 1717, Alexander Pope, “A Discourse on Pastoral Poetry”, in The Works of Mr. Alexander Pope, volume I, London: […] W[illiam] Bowyer, for Bernard Lintot, […], →OCLC, page 5:
      [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.
  4. (followed by "for") A taste (for); liking (of); fondness.
    • 1785, William Cowper, letter to the Rev. John Newton (dated December 10, 1785)
      I have a relish for moderate praise, because it bids fair to be judicious.
    • 1849–1861, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter XI, in The History of England from the Accession of James the Second, volume (please specify |volume=I to V), London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC:
      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.
    • 2019 July 17, Talia Lavin, “When Non-Jews Wield Anti-Semitism as Political Shield”, in GQ‎[1]:
      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.
  5. A cooked or pickled sauce, usually made with vegetables or fruits, generally used as a condiment.
    • 1994 July 21, Faye Fiore, “Congress relishes another franking privilege: Meat lobby puts on the dog with exclusive luncheon for lawmakers – experts on pork”, in Los Angeles Times‎[2]:
      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.")
  6. In a wooden frame, the projection or shoulder at the side of, or around, a tenon, on a tenoned piece.
  7. Something that is greatly liked or savoured.

Hyponyms

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Derived terms

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Translations

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Verb

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relish (third-person singular simple present relishes, present participle relishing, simple past and past participle relished)

  1. (transitive) To taste or eat with pleasure, to like the flavor of [from 16th c.]
  2. (transitive) To take great pleasure in.
    He relishes their time together.
    I don't relish the idea of going out tonight.
    • c. 1602, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Troylus and Cressida”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iii], column 2:
      Now Vlysses, I begin to relliſh thy aduice, / And I wil giue a taste of it forthwith / To Agamemnon, go we to him ſtraight:
    • 1706, Francis Atterbury, A sermon preached at the Guild-Hall Chapel, September 28, 1706:
      He knows how to prize his advantages, and to relish the honours which he enjoys.
    • 2022 December 15, Pat Cullen, quotee, “Tens of thousands of UK nurses go on strike in first such industrial action in NHS history”, in The Guardian‎[3]:
      “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. […]
  3. (obsolete, intransitive) To taste; to have a specified taste or flavour. [16th–19th c.]
    • 1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC, partition II, section 3, member 3:
      honourable enterprises are accompanied with dangers and damages, as experience evinceth; they will make the rest of thy life relish the better.
    • c. 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Winters Tale”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii]:
      Had I been the finder-out of this secret, it would not have relish'd among my other discredits.
    • 1695, John Woodward, An essay toward a natural history of the earth:
      A theory, which, how much soever it may relish of wit and invention, hath no foundation in nature.
  4. (transitive) To give a taste to; to cause to taste nice, to make appetizing. [from 16th c.]
  5. (obsolete, intransitive) To give pleasure.

Synonyms

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(take pleasure in): : appreciate, delight in, enjoy, like, revel in

Derived terms

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Translations

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References

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Anagrams

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French

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Etymology

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Borrowed from English relish.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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relish f (uncountable)

  1. relish (pickled sauce)
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