Take

I copy from the "London Queen": "The verb to take is open to being considered a vulgar verb when used in reference to dinner, tea, or to refreshments of any kind. 'Will you take ' is not considered com me il faut ; the verb in favor for the offering of civilities being to have ." According to "The Queen," then, we must say, "Will you have some dinner, tea, coffee, wine, fish, beef, salad," etc. Taste of. The redundant of , often used, in this country, in connection with the transitive verbs to taste and to smell , is a Yankeeism. We taste or smell a thing, not taste of nor smell of a thing. The neuter verbs to taste and to smell are often followed by of . "If butter tastes of bra ." "For age but tastes of pleasures." "You shall stifle in your own report, and smell of calumny."—Shakespeare.