WordGarden.ioforetaste
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /fˈɔːteɪst/
US
- /ˈfɔrteɪst/
Meanings
Noun
an early experience or sample of something that will come later
Verb
to experience something in advance before it happens more fully
Beyond the definition
Imagine biting into a perfectly ripe peach on a warm summer day - that first burst of flavor is a small taste of the sweetness to follow. It is not the whole experience, but it gives you a clear hint of what is coming. It can be literal, like sampling an appetizer before dinner, or figurative, like feeling a first sense of happiness when something good is about to happen. Writers often use it to build suspense - a small clue that points to a larger turn in the story.
Think of it as a sneak peek, a small early experience that prepares you for the main event. If a warm breeze carries the scent of rain, that can be a foretaste of an approaching storm.
A foretaste is an early sign, preview, or slight experience of something that is about to happen or be revealed. It is more than just a prediction; it is often a felt sense of what is to come, like a small taste before the full meal. The word comes from "fore-" meaning before and "taste," which suggests experiencing something in a small way ahead of time.
Historically, foretaste carried strong religious connotations, particularly in theological writings referring to a glimpse of heavenly joy or future salvation. However, its usage has broadened considerably over time.
Today, you might describe the first few pages of a novel as offering a "foretaste" of the author's style and themes. A successful marketing campaign may give people a "foretaste" of what a product offers. Emotional experiences can also work this way: someone may feel a "foretaste of grief" before bad news fully arrives, or a "foretaste of joy" before a long-awaited event.
Unlike a prediction, which is mainly about thinking, a foretaste usually involves some sensory or emotional experience. It is not just knowing that something will happen; it is feeling or sensing it in advance. So, if you catch a whiff of cinnamon and apples, that might be a delightful foretaste of the pie baking in the oven - a promise of good things to come.
Examples
- 1
Seasonal hint
The warm weekend was a foretaste of spring.
- Patterna foretaste of + future event/experience
a small early experience or sign of something that will come later
- 2
Medical work
Her internship gave her a foretaste of life in a busy hospital.
- 3
Sports season
The first game of the season offered fans a foretaste of what the new team could do.
- 4
Literary foreshadowing
The opening chapter gives a foretaste of the darker events later in the novel.
See also
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- foretastenounverb
Forms
- foretastedpast tenseverbnoun
- foretastespluralnounverb
- foretasting-ing formverbnoun