Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. a very small amount, an almost imperceptible degree, a little.

[1824		Egan Recollections of J. Thurtell 34: He was ultimately cut up in so many slices, that not the smallest taste of his property remained].
1894		H. Caine Manxman I v: Aisy! Your legs a taste higher, sir, just to keep the pickle off your trousers. [Ibid.] III xii: ‘Nancy will tidy the room a taste’, she said coaxingly .
1967		M. Braly On the Yard (2002) 198: Cadillac was the ex-heavyweight champ of the joint [...] ‘Offin’s my game, and I pimp a taste. Shoot crap, too.’.
1972		O. Hawkins Ghetto Sketches 154: Baby . . . you mind turnin’ that . . . uh . . . stuff down a lil’ taste?
1979		‘Iceberg Slim’ Airtight Willie and Me 38: Candy Slim, from the Big Windy is gonna cut his cake and rap a taste.
1993		O’Reilly & Sixth Class Over the Half Door n.p.: They were like concentration camps, the schools, in them days. I only got a taste of learning [BS].
2001		(con. 1975–6) E. Little Steel Toes 63: My half brother is gonna pick us up down the road a taste.

2. a sample, a piece.

[1825		Pierce Egan’s Life in London 4 Sept. 253/1: [of a punch] Rough Robin planted ‘a pretty particular’ stunning sort of a taste on the top of Harry's sconce that floored the Cambridge article].
1924		C.J. Dennis ‘The Crusaders’ in Chisholm (1951) 82: ‘Jist for ole times,’ she pleads. ‘One little taste.’.
1946		Mezzrow & Wolfe Really the Blues [dedication] To Bessie Smith, Jimmy Noone, King Oliver, Louis Armstrong, Zutty Singleton, Johnny Dodds, Sidney Bechet and Tommy Ladnier. (Grab a taste of millennium, gate.).
1957		D. Burley N.Y. Amsterdam News 8 June 14: I’m begging now for a taste of bread.
1970		E. Tidyman Shaft 189: You know what they want for her? It’s not a piece, a taste. They want everything.
2002		D. Shaw ‘Dead Beard’ at www.asstr.org 🌐 And what with getting the green light from all concerned, I decide to dive in and have a taste.
2020		D. Whish-Wilson Shore Leave 106: Scully was eager for some street, and here was Devon offering him a taste.

3. a drink, alcohol.

1904		Sun. Times (Perth) 17 Jan. 12/3: Have another taste [i.e. glass of whisky] and tell me how you managed that.
1932		(con. WWI) L. Mann Flesh in Armour 32: ‘You Orstrilians like a real taste while you’re abaht it’.
1933		‘William Juniper’ True Drunkard’s Delight.
1956		‘Ed Lacy’ Men from the Boys (1967) 38: He [...] saw the empty pint beside my bed. ‘[...] You’re a fine one, not even giving me a taste.’.
1959		Newport Jazz Festival: 1959 46: taste: usually a drink or some money.
1969		‘Iceberg Slim’ Pimp 75: The runty black bitch in the middle of the bar sent you a taste.
1975		J. Roe The Same Old Grind 63: Bernie reached under his chair a little taste.
1975		‘P.B. Yuill’ Hazell and the Three-card Trick (1977) 121: Let’s git up the Wardorf for a taste, celebrate our big deal an’ that. Yer welcome to make one wiv us, Mister Hazell.
1994		(con. 1982) G. Byrne Pictures in my Head 105: He’s back on the taste again, the bastard.
2003		Simon & Pelecanos ‘Duck and Cover’ Wire ser. 2 ep. 8 [TV script] You guys going for a taste?
2005		J. Stahl I, Fatty 175: He [...] asked if I’d mind if he ‘stopped in for a taste.’.
2008		Simon & Burns ‘More with Less’ Wire ser. 5 ep. 1 [TV script] Who needs a taste? [...] I’ll cover a round or two.

4. (UK Und.) a share of, e.g. a bribe, the proceeds of a robbery; also in fig. use.

1948		Dan Burley ‘Back Door Stuff’ 30 Oct. [synd. col.] Yeah, the numbers field worker would like to get a little taste himself.
1968		G. Radano Walking the Beat 179: ‘They’re not looking to break this up. They only want to be seen.’ ‘Seen?’ ‘Yeah: seen. They want a taste of the sugar’ .
1974		G.F. Newman You Flash Bastard 38: The DS in question hadn’t been ambitious, but as far as Ryan was concerned he was hungry and wanted a taste of the reward money. There was two grand.
2000		G.V. Higgins At End of Day (2001) 156: Old dagos called it ‘wetting the beaks.’ Younger guys — ‘Havin’ a taste.’.
2008		Simon & Zorzi ‘Unconfirmed Reports’ Wire ser. 5 ep. 2 [TV script] Of course, you know, I gotta have my taste too.
2016		D. Whish-Wilson Old Scores [ebook] ‘I heard two thousand and a taste.’ ‘A taste of what?’ ‘Whatever comes next. Access, for information’.
2017		D. Winslow The Force [ebook] The patrolmen would kick up to the sergeants, the sergeants to the lieutenants, the lieutenants to the captains [...] Everyone got a taste.

5. a sum of money.

1951		Esquire Dec. 210: He must have made a nice little ‘taste’ (meaning) the tune made quite a bit of ‘loot.’.
1968		N. Heard Howard Street 118: You ain’t the only one losin’ a taste, baby.
1978		R.D. Pharr Giveadamn Brown (1997) 19: ‘Maybe a nice little taste every week [...] if you go to prison’.
1997		D.H. Edwards The World Don’t Owe Me Nothing 185: [of musicians] You could sit in on everyone's job then, and they'd give you a little taste of money.

6. sexual intercourse.

1798		‘B—’s Bugbear’ in Hilaria 135: She yet had a taste for the arbor of life; / Cock-sure of a taste when she told the lewd tale / [...] / Were better than banging the bottom with Birch!
1842		Whip & Satirist of NY & Brooklyn (NY) 9 Apr. n.p.: [...] if old Gufar has had a taste since he has been among us. His darting in at the Lock House was observed.
[1893		‘Bob Sterling’ Town-Bull 11: ‘Ah, my lusty plugger. I wil [sic] see if I cannot get that pretty piece of virtue to take a taste of this [i.e. a penis]].
1956		‘Hal Ellson’ ‘Dangerous’ in Tell Them Nothing (1956) 50: I had my taste and I’m looking for more elsewhere.
1977		G.F. Newman A Prisoner’s Tale 150: To be honest, Steve, I wouldn’t mind giving my old lady a taste, it can be done.
1987		R. Campbell Alice in La-La Land (1999) 109: ‘You think Whistler’s pussy-whipped?’ ‘I don’t think he’s even had a taste yet.’.
1990		R. Campbell Sweet La-La Land (1999) 168: These women give it a shake but won’t give you a taste, what the hell do they expect?

7. (drugs) a sample of drugs; a small measure of drugs.

1961		Rigney & Smith Real Bohemia xx: A small quantity of the drug is a ‘taste.’.
1967		L. Bruce Essential Lenny Bruce 145: I jus wanna get a taste.
1975		D. Goines Inner City Hoodlum 170: I’m goin’ to make myself a little taste.
1981		H. Gould Fort Apache, The Bronx 321: ‘I’ll need a sample, too.’ ‘Yeah, yeah, I know. I brought you a taste.’.
1982		G. Newbold Big Huey 17: I would only sell in $1000 lots, and only to people I knew. At that price it worked out at about $2 to $3 a taste.
1999		E. Bunker Mr Blue 390: His old lady gave him a taste. A couple grams.
2000		W.T. Vollmann Royal Family 352: Can you spare [...] a little teeny-weeny bump, just so I can get a taste?

8. (Aus./US) an injection of heroin.

1990		Tupper & Wortley Aus. Prison Sl. Gloss. 🌐 Taste. Injection of heroin.
1995		J. Stahl Permanent Midnight 103: Skulking back up the stairs for my farewell taste.