Taste by Roald Dahl

epicure n a person who takes great interest in the pleasures of food and drink; gourmet

droll adj odd and amusing

diffident adj [(about)] lacking a belief in one's own qualities and abilities, and therefore unwilling to speak or act with confidence

ooze 1 v
1 [I+adv/prep] (of liquid, esp. a thick liquid) to pass or flow slowly
2 to allow (liquid) to pass slowly out

vintage n a particular year in which a wine is made

breed n a kind or class of animal or plant usu. developed under human influence

restrained adj (of a person or their behaviour) calm and controlled; not showing strong feelings

moselle n ( a type of light German white wine originally made in the valley of the Moselle river

amiable adj pleasant and well-intentioned; likable; friendly

bookmaker esp. BrE, a person whose job is to take money (BETs) risked on the results of competitions, esp. horse races

unctuous adj fml full of unpleasantly insincere kindness, interest, etc

impinge v
impinge on/upon sthg./sbdy phr v [T pass. rare]
to have an effect on; influence

pop v -pp-
1 to (cause to) make a short sharp explosive sound
2 [I+adv/prep] infml to move quickly or suddenly away from a surface; spring.
3 [I+adv/prep] infml to go or come suddenly, quickly, or unexpectedly
4 [T+obj+adv/prep] infml to put quickly and lightly:
5 [T] AmE infml to use (PILLs) too often

jab v -[I+adv/prep; T+obj+adv/prep] to push (something pointed) hard; strike quickly from a short distance

tip v [T+obj+adv/prep] esp. BrE to pour (a substance) from one container into another, onto a surface, etc.

sag v
1 to sink, settle, or bend downwards, esp. away from the usual or correct position
2 to fall in value, amount, or level, esp. for a short time3 (of a book, performance, etc.) to become uninteresting during part of the length

supercilious adj derog (as if ) thinking that others are of little importance

drawl v to speak or say slowly, with vowels greatly lengthened

overmuch adv, determiner, pron
1 fml too much: overmuch work
2 (usu. in negatives) very much

loll v
1 to be in a lazy loose position
2 to (allow to) hang down loosely

shrewd adj
1 showing good practical judgment, esp. of what is to one's own advantage
2 well-reasoned and likely to be right:

sour adj
1 having the taste that is not bitter, salty, or sweet, and is produced esp. by acids
2 having the taste of fermentation
3 having or expressing a bad temper; unfriendly
4 infml bad or wrong; disappointing


stake money risked on the result of something; esp. a horse race

let sbdy./sthg. in phr v
1 to allow or make it possible for (someone or something) to enter
2 to allow; admit

jerk v to pull suddenly
jerk n a short quick pull or (backward) movement

lounge v [I+adv/prep] to stand or sit in a leaning lazy way

prim adj usu. derog (of a person) very formal or exact in behaviour, and easily shocked by anything rude

trickle v [I+adv/prep] to flow in drops or in a thin stream

wistful adj thoughtful and rather sad, esp. because of desires which may not be satisfied or memories of past happiness which may not return

demure adj (esp. of a woman or child) quiet, serious, and not trying to draw attention to oneself

bashful adj uncomfortable in social situations

blithe adj sometimes derog (esp. of a person's behaviour) happy and unworried

flare v
1 to burn brightly, but with an unsteady flame or for a short time
2 to (cause to) open outwards, esp. to widen gradually towards the bottom

silt n loose sand, mud, soil, etc., carried in running water and then dropped, e.g. at the entrance to a harbour, by a bend in a river, etc.

puffy adj rather swollen

frosty adj
1 a very cold:
2 unfriendly; cold

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