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, .: 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 ve el, 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-gra , any plant of genus Lepidium ; Pepp′erine ; 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 ca areep, 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, .—also Pepper shrub and Chili pepper ; Pepp′erwort , the dittander.— adj. Pepp′ery , po e ing 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. pip or —L. piper —Gr. peperi —Sans. pippala .]