relish
/ˈrɛlɪʃ
/noun
1 [mass noun] Great enjoyment: she swigged a mouthful of wine with relish...
- And on his own steam, Jackson continues his good work with grace and relish.
- But it's done with such relish and infectious enthusiasm that it feels like a much lighter read.
- Cut to the next scene, and he is munching away with relish and delight.
1.1Liking for or pleasurable anticipation of something: I was appointed to a post for which I had little relish...
- She understands the historic significance of the ship and at the same time her enthusiasm and relish for the opportunity were obvious.
Synonyms
enjoyment, gusto, delight, pleasure, glee, rapture, satisfaction, contentment, contentedness, gratification, happiness, exhilaration, excitement, titillation, appreciation, liking, fondness, enthusiasm, appetite, zest
humorous delectation
2A piquant sauce or pickle eaten with plain food to add flavour: use salsa as a relish with grilled meat or fish...
- Being highly concentrated, Worcester sauce is employed mostly as a condiment or an ingredient rather than as a relish like the brown sauce which it superficially resembles.
- Current retail product categories include dried spice, dipping sauces, chutneys and relishes, and seasoning for white and red meats.
- Look for stuffed olives, relishes, pickled garlic, or flavored mustards.
Synonyms
condiment, accompaniment, sauce, dressing, flavouring, seasoning, dip
3 archaic An appetizing flavour: the tired glutton finds no relish in the sweetest meat
3.1A distinctive taste or tinge: the relish of wine
verb [with object]
1Enjoy greatly: he was relishing his moment of glory...
- There is something within us, in our souls that enjoys it, even relishes it.
- The tail is fatty tissue, rich and palatable when cooked, and was greatly relished by early trappers and explorers.
- Should I relax on the beach, relishing every last moment of freedom?
Synonyms
enjoy, delight in, love, like, adore, be pleased by, take pleasure in, rejoice in, appreciate, savour, revel in, luxuriate in, glory in;
gloat over, feel self-satisfied about, crow about
informal get a kick out of, get a thrill out of
1.1Anticipate with pleasure: we did not relish the idea of a strike...
- We do not relish the idea of going through another inquest, and no doubt neither does anyone else involved.
- He relished the idea of seeing envy on their faces.
- And I think he wanted to do it because he had spent a lot of time in period costume and relished the idea of a sci-fi movie.
Synonyms
look forward to, fancy, anticipate with pleasure, await with pleasure, lick one's lips over, be unable to wait for, count the days until, long for, hope for
2 archaic Make pleasant to the taste; add relish to: I have also a novel to relish my wine
Derivatives
relishable
- To have outlived his boss must have been particularly relishable.
- Therefore this fruit has become even more tasteful, although its nectarean juice was already relishable for all, including liberated souls.
- The simple but relishable meal over, the morning was spent in talking, walking, and in reading.
Origin
Middle English: alteration of obsolete reles, from Old French reles 'remainder', from relaisser 'to release'. The early noun sense was 'odour, taste' giving rise to 'appetizing flavour, piquant taste' (mid 17th century), and hence sense 2 of the noun (late 18th century).
The word relish is an alteration of obsolete reles which comes from Old French reles ‘remainder’. The early noun sense was ‘odour, taste’, something that is left behind. This gave rise in the mid 17th century to ‘appetizing flavour, piquant taste’, leading to its use as a term for ‘condiment’ in the late 18th century.