gusto, āvi, ātum, 1, v. a. [gustus], to taste, to take a little of any thing (freq. and class.; cf.: libo, manduco, edo, etc.).
I Lit.
A In gen.: cum biduum ita jejunus fuissem, ut ne aquam quidem gustarem, Cic. Fam. 7, 26, 1: leporem et gallinam et anserem gustare fas non putant, Caes. B. G. 5, 11: gustatus sanguis, Plin. 8, 16, 19, § 52: celerius panis mandendus quam vinum gustandum, Cels. 4, 3: gustare de potione, Suet. Tit. 2: herba subsalsa gustanti, Plin. 21, 29, 103, § 175: alypon acre gustatu ac lentum, id. 27, 4, 7, § 22: aliquid de sanguine, Juv. 15, 92; 14, 85.—Prov.: primis, ut dicitur, labris gustare physiologiam, i. e. to have a superficial knowledge of , Cic. N. D. 1, 8, 20.—
B In partic., to take a slight meal , to take a luncheon or whet; to eat a little : Cretes, quorum nemo gustavit umquam cubans, Cic. Mur. 35, 74: post solem plerumque frigida lavabatur, deinde gustabat, dormiebatque minimum, Plin. Ep. 3, 5, 11; Aug. ap. Suet. Aug. 76.—
II Trop., to taste , partake of , enjoy : gustaras civilem sanguinem vel potius exsorbueras, Cic. Phil. 2, 29, 71: gustare partem ullam liquidae voluptatis, id. Fin. 1, 18, 58: quod si ipsi haec neque attingere neque sensu nostro gustare possemus, tamen, etc., id. Arch. 8, 17: praecepta, id. de Or. 1, 32, 145: summatim rerum causas et genera ipsa, id. ib. 2, 36, 123: Metrodorum illum, i. e. heard , attended for a while , id. ib. 3, 20, 75: partem aliquam rei publicae, id. Fam. 12, 23, 3: sermonem alicujus, i. e. listen to , overhear , Plaut. Most. 5, 1, 15: amorem vitae, Lucr. 5, 179: lucellum, Hor. S. 2, 5, 82.