Pepper

Pepper, pep′ėr, n. a pungent aromatic condiment consisting of the dried berries of the pepper-plant, entire or powdered: any plant of genus Piper: a plant of genus Capsicum, or one of its pods, whence Cayenne pepper.—v.t. to sprinkle with pepper: to hit or pelt with shot, &c.: to pelt thoroughly: to do for.—adj. Pepp′er-and-salt′, of a colour composed of a light ground dotted with fine spots of a dark colour, or of a dark ground with light spots.—ns. Pepp′er-box, a box with a perforated top for sprinkling pepper on food; Pepp′er-cake, a kind of spiced cake or gingerbread; Pepp′er-cast′er, the vessel, on a cruet-stand, from which pepper is sprinkled; Pepp′ercorn, the berry of the pepper plant: something of little value—Peppercorn rent, a nominal rent; Pepp′erer, one who sells pepper, a grocer; Pepp′er-gin′gerbread, hot-spiced gingerbread; Pepp′er-grass, any plant of genus Lepidium; Pepp′eriness; Pepp′ermint, a species of mint, aromatic and pungent like pepper: a liquor distilled from the plant: a lozenge flavoured with peppermint—Peppermint-drop, a confection so flavoured; Pepp′er-pot, a West Indian dish, of cassareep, together with flesh or dried fish and vegetables, esp. green okra and chillies: tripe shredded and stewed, with balls of dough and plenty of pepper; Pepp′er-tree, a shrub of the cashew family, native to South America, &c.—also Pepper shrub and Chili pepper; Pepp′erwort, the dittander.—adj. Pepp′ery, possessing the qualities of pepper: hot, choleric.—Æthiopian pepper, the produce of Xylopia Æthiopica; Benin pepper, of Cubeba Clusii; Guinea pepper, or Maleguetta pepper, of Amomum; Jamaica pepper, or Pimento, of species of Eugenia (Myrtaceæ); Long pepper, the fruit of Piper Longum; White pepper, the seed freed from the skin and fleshy part of the fruit by soaking in water and rubbing the dried fruit. [A.S. pipor—L. piper—Gr. peperi—Sans. pippala.]