Is there a word for disliking that’s not a negative word like dislike?  Abhor, loathe, and hate are all too strong.
I’m thinking specifically with regard to disliking a food.

Sample sentence: "He (?)s nuts in his bread."

‘isn’t fond of’? :D Um…‘he finds nuts in his bread unsavoury’?

[quote author=kalasin link=board=what;num=1036028963;start=0#1 date=10/30/02 at 21:02:13]‘isn’t fond of’? :D Um…‘he finds nuts in his bread unsavoury’?

Isn’t fond of, doesn’t care for, prefers to avoid—all of these are terms of what is not.  I’m hoping to discover a neat little package of a word that presents the aversion with a succinct and definitive punch.  

I would have suggested dislike, if you hadn’t already considered and discarded it.  It is not a strong as hate or the others, yet gives the impression that the food is not cared for, without being hated or loathed.

How about ambivalent?    :-/

[quote author=Linnet link=board=what;num=1036028963;start=0#3 date=10/30/02 at 21:26:45]
How about ambivalent?    :-/

Ambivalent’s OK, I guess (no pun!  :))  I was hoping for a verb:
He ambivalents nuts in his bread
would work, were there such a beast.

pooh-poohs, avoids, scorns, shuns, eschews…

I think I like the latter the best because of the pun on "chews".  It would be especially interesting if he disliked nuts:

"He eschews cashews."

[quote author=Brad Ross-MacLeod link=board=what;num=1036028963;start=0#5 date=10/31/02 at 10:24:06]pooh-poohs, avoids, scorns, shuns, eschews…

I think I like the latter the best because of the pun on "chews".  It would be especially interesting if he disliked nuts:

"He eschews cashews."

Brad, really now; that required a large  ;D.

Eschews seems good—I just wonder, is it too strong?  If a person, ahem, eschews cashews but will eat them to avoid offending the hostess, can eschews still be used?

I’m not sure how this would best be used.  If you’ll note, all of the options I suggested actually refer to behaviors as opposed to opinions or preferences.  there don’t seem to be any words for these that aren’t expressed as negations (like dislike).

Although I realize you’re looking for a verb, how about:

have an aversion to
be averse to

Ilka

[quote author=ilka link=board=what;num=1036028963;start=0#8 date=10/31/02 at 11:02:53]Although I realize you’re looking for a verb, how about:

have an aversion to
be averse to

He averts nuts in his bread would almost work (besides being the off in the use of avert) but I was hoping that there would be a word about the preference itself, not the practice of eating.

I wonder why there is no gentler word than abhor, hate, loathe, despise, and so on?

And, does eschew, in the end, work?  Could it mean simply that the person in practice does not generally eat the food, but might if occasion called for it?

i think Brad is on the money: avoids.

He avoids nuts.

I think that implies that, if somehow, nuts were unavoidable, he would eat them.

[quote author=tamisaac link=board=what;num=1036028963;start=0#0 date=10/30/02 at 20:49:23]Is there a word for disliking that’s not a negative word like dislike?  Abhor, loathe, and hate are all too strong.
I’m thinking specifically with regard to disliking a food.

Sample sentence: "He (?)s nuts in his bread."

"He loathes nuts in his loaves."

[quote author=Stargzer link=board=what;num=1036028963;start=0#11 date=11/21/02 at 19:49:28]

"He loathes nuts in his loaves."

:’(

[quote author=tamisaac link=board=what;num=1036028963;start=0#12 date=11/21/02 at 19:55:31]
:’(

Crying?  Come now, m’lady, ‘twasn’t all that bad!

[quote author=Stargzer link=board=what;num=1036028963;start=0#13 date=11/21/02 at 19:59:13]
Crying?  Come now, m’lady, ‘twasn’t all that bad!

:-* *blush*  :)