What is meant by 'mild' flavor?

[organichris]

So if someone were to describe a tomato as sweet or acidic, I can relate to that. If you say "tangy" I can dig that too, but if you say "mild" - and you're talking about tomatoes rather than peppers - I really don't know where you're coming from.

My first inclination is to assume that this means the flavor is not that pronounced, in which case I am not interested in growing or eating it. That makes me think it's like a regular storebought tomato that has been picked green and gassed. But is that what folks really mean?

I think it is important for us to clarify these adjectives because obviously we leave a lot open to interpretation otherwise, and taste is subjective enough as it is.

Someone started a similar thread about what is meant by "old-fashioned" or "old-timey flavor" and it seemed that several folks wanted to weigh in on that one. What became apparent to me in that thread is that people have a tendency to take ownership of a term and personalize it so that it really becomes devoid of any actual meaning.

And here is another one I have trouble with: "smokey".