any mixture of a soft and malleable consistency
"The chef mixed flour and water to create a smooth paste before rolling out the dough."
a hard, brilliant lead glass that is used in making artificial jewelry
"The artisan carefully cut a piece of paste to create an affordable diamond for her new bracelet."
an adhesive made from water and flour or starch; used on paper and paperboard
"The teacher spread a thin layer of paste on the back of each card before gluing them onto the bulletin board."
A soft moist mixture, in particular:
"The baker spread a thick paste of flour and water over the risen dough before baking it."
One of flour, fat, or similar ingredients used in making pastry.
"The baker carefully measured out a cup of paste to ensure the dough would be tender and flaky."
In plain English: A paste is a thick, sticky mixture that you can spread easily with your fingers or a tool.
"She cut out pictures from the magazine and pasted them onto her scrapbook page."
Usage: Use "paste" for a thick, spreadable substance like wallpaper adhesive rather than the doughy base of baked goods. When referring to food preparation, distinguish this from "pastry," which denotes the cooked product itself.
To stick with paste; to cause to adhere by or as if by paste.
"She carefully pasted the torn page back onto the rest of her history report."
In plain English: To paste something means to stick it down onto another surface using glue or adhesive.
"She pressed the picture onto the wall with some paste to hang it up properly."
The word "paste" comes from Old French pâte, which traces back to Late Latin pasta and Ancient Greek pastá. Originally referring to a thick mixture of flour or dough, the term entered English via Middle English before also giving rise to related words like "to paste."