I.v. a., to taste, and thus diminish a thing (cf. delibo and ἀπογεύομαι—rare but class., esp. in the trop. sense).
I. Lit.: “vinum,” Cato R. R. 148: “pabulum,” Varr. R. R. 2, 5, 15: “novas fruges aut vina,” Plin. 18, 2, 2, § 8: “vasa vel dolia,” Dig. 18, 6, 1.—
B. Poet. transf., of fire: “ignes flammā degustant tigna trabesque,” lick, Lucr. 2, 192. And of a weapon that slightly touches, grazes: “(lancea) summum degustat volnere corpus,” Verg. A. 12, 376; imitated by Sil. 5, 274.—
II. Trop.
A. To try, make trial of, make one's self acquainted with: “eandem vitam,” Cic. Tusc. 5, 21: “literas primis labris,” Quint. 12, 2, 4: “aliquid speculae ex ejus sermone,” Cic. Clu. 26, 72: “aliquid de fabulis,” Brut. in Cic. Att. 13, 40: genus hoc exercitationum, Cic. Par. prooem. fin.: “summatim ingenia maximorum virorum,” Sen. Ep. 33: “imperium,” Tac. A. 6, 20 fin.: “istum convivam tuum,” Cic. Att. 4, 8 fin.—
B. (Acc. to no. I. B.) To touch slightly upon, to treat briefly of: “plures materiae inchoatae et quasi degustatae,” Quint. 10, 5, 23: “haec prooemio (opp. consumere),” id. 4, 1, 14: “genera (opp. excutere bibliothecas),” id. 10, 1, 104.
