■ noun
1》 a pungent, hot-tasting powder prepared from dried and ground ~corns, used to flavour food.
2》 a climbing vine with berries that are dried as black or white ~corns. [ Piper nigrum .]
↘used in names of related plants having hot-tasting leaves, or fruits used as a pungent spice, e.g. Jamaica ~ , water ~ .
3》 a capsicum, especially a sweet ~.
↘a reddish and typically hot-tasting spice prepared from various forms of capsicum.
4》 Baseball a practice game in which a fielder throws at close range to a batter who hits back to the fielder.
■ verb
1》 sprinkle or season with ~.
2》 (usu. be ~ed with ) scatter liberally over or through.
3》 hit repeatedly with small missiles or gunshot.
4》 archaic inflict severe punishment or suffering upon.
Origin
OE piper , pipor , of W. Gmc origin; via L. from Gk peperi , from Sanskrit pippalī 'berry, ~corn'.