1. A
piece of
orange or
lemon peel, or the
aromatic oil which may be squeezed from such peel, used to
give flavor to liquor, etc.
2. To
cut into thin slips, as the
peel of an orange, lemon, etc.; to squeeze, as peel, over the surface of anything.
3. To
give a
relish or
flavor to; to increased the
taste or
relish of; as, to
zest wine.
4. Hence, something that gives or enhances a pleasant taste, or the
taste itself; an appetizer; also, keen enjoyment; relish; gusto. "Almighty Vanity! to thee they
owe Their
zest of pleasure, and their
balm of woe." (Young) "Liberality of
disposition and conduct gives the highest
zest and
relish to
social intercourse." (Gogan)
5. The woody,
fat skin inclosing the
kernel of a walnut.
Origin: F. Zeste,
perhaps fr. L. Schistos split, cleft, divided, Gr, from to split, cleave. Cf. Schism.
Source: Websters Vocabulary