1.  pepper(n = noun.plant) black pepper, common pepper, madagascar pepper, piper nigrum, white pepper - climber having dark red berries (peppercorns) when fully ripe; southern India and Sri Lanka; naturalized in northern Burma and Assam;
is a kind of pepper vine, true pepper
has parts: pepper, peppercorn
is a member of genus piper, piper

2.  pepper(n = noun.plant) capsicum, capsicum pepper plant - any of various tropical plants of the genus Capsicum bearing peppers;
is a kind of bush, shrub
has parts: pepper
is a member of capsicum, genus capsicum
has particulars: capsicum annuum conoides, cone pepper, capsicum annuum longum, cayenne, cayenne pepper, chili pepper, chilli pepper, jalapeno, long pepper, bell pepper, capsicum annuum grossum, paprika, pimento, pimiento, sweet pepper, sweet pepper plant, capsicum annuum cerasiforme, cherry pepper, bird pepper, capsicum baccatum, capsicum frutescens baccatum, capsicum frutescens, hot pepper, tabasco pepper, tabasco plant

3.  pepper(n = noun.food) peppercorn - pungent seasoning from the berry of the common pepper plant of East India; use whole or ground;
is a kind of flavorer, flavoring, flavourer, flavouring, seasoner, seasoning
is a part of black pepper, common pepper, madagascar pepper, pepper, piper nigrum, white pepper
has particulars: black pepper, white pepper
Derived forms verb pepper₁, adjective peppery₁

4.  pepper(n = noun.food) - sweet and hot varieties of fruits of plants of the genus Capsicum;
is a kind of solanaceous vegetable
is a part of capsicum, capsicum pepper plant, pepper
has particulars: sweet pepper, hot pepper

1.  pepper(v = verb.perception) - add pepper to; "pepper the soup"
is one way to spice, spice up, zest
Derived form noun pepper₃
Sample sentences: Somebody ----s something

2.  pepper(v = verb.competition) pelt - attack and bombard with or as if with missiles; "pelt the speaker with questions"
is one way to assail, attack
Sample sentences: Somebody ----s somebody with something

1.  A well-known, pungently aromatic condiment, the dried berry, either whole or powdered, of the Piper nigrum. [1913 Webster]
" Common pepper, or black pepper, is made from the whole berry, dried just before maturity; white pepper is made from the ripe berry after the outer skin has been removed by maceration and friction. It has less of the peculiar properties of the plant than the black pepper. Pepper is used in medicine as a carminative stimulant." [1913 Webster]

2.  The plant which yields pepper, an East Indian woody climber (Piper nigrum), with ovate leaves and apetalous flowers in spikes opposite the leaves. The berries are red when ripe. Also, by extension, any one of the several hundred species of the genus Piper, widely dispersed throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of the earth. [1913 Webster]

3.  Any plant of the genus Capsicum (of the Solanaceae family, which are unrelated to Piper), and its fruit; red pepper; chili pepper; as, the bell pepper and the jalapeno pepper (both Capsicum annuum) and the habanero pepper (Capsicum chinense); . These contain varying levels of the substance capsaicin (C18H27O3N), which gives the peppers their hot taste. The habanero is about 25-50 times hotter than the jalapeno according to a scale developed by Wilbur Scoville in 1912. See also Capsicum and http://www.chili-pepper-plants.com/. [1913 Webster]
" The term pepper has been extended to various other fruits and plants, more or less closely resembling the true pepper, esp. to the common varieties of Capsicum. See Capsicum, and the Phrases, below." [1913 Webster]

1.  To sprinkle or season with pepper. [1913 Webster]

2.  Figuratively: To shower shot or other missiles, or blows, upon; to pelt; to fill with shot, or cover with bruises or wounds; as, to pepper him with buckshot. Shak. [1913 Webster]

   To fire numerous shots (at). [1913 Webster]

pepper, n. & v.
--n.
1 a a hot aromatic condiment from the dried berries of certain plants used whole or ground. b any climbing vine of the genus Piper, esp. P. nigrum, yielding these berries.
2 anything hot or pungent.
3 a any plant of the genus Capsicum, esp. C. annuum. b the fruit of this used esp. as a vegetable or salad ingredient.
4 = CAYENNE.
--v.tr.
1 sprinkle or treat with or as if with pepper.
2 a pelt with missiles. b hurl abuse etc. at.
3 punish severely.

Idiom:
black pepper the unripe ground or whole berries of Piper nigrum as a condiment. green pepper the unripe fruit of Capsicum annuum. pepper-mill a device for grinding pepper by hand. pepper-pot 1 a small container with a perforated lid for sprinkling pepper.
2 a W. Indian dish of meat etc. stewed with cayenne pepper.
3 colloq. a Jamaican. red (or yellow) pepper the ripe fruit of Capsicum annuum. sweet pepper a pepper with a relatively mild taste. white pepper the ripe or husked ground or whole berries of Piper nigrum as a condiment.

Etymology:
OE piper, pipor f. L piper f. Gk peperi f. Skr. pippali- berry, peppercorn

VB  attack, assault, assail, invade, set upon, fall upon, charge, impugn, break a lance with, enter the lists, assume the offensive, take the offensive, be the aggressor, become the aggressor, strike the first blow, draw first blood, throw the first stone at, lift a hand against, draw the sword against, take up the cudgels, advance against, march against, march upon, harry, come on, show fight, strike at, poke at, thrust at, aim a blow at, deal a blow at, give one a blow, fetch one a blow, fetch one a kick, give one a kick, have a cut at, have a shot at, take a cut at, take a shot at, have a fling at, have a shy at, be down upon, pounce upon, fall foul of, pitch into, launch out against, bait, slap on the face, make a thrust at, make a pass at, make a set at, make a dead set at, bear down upon, close with, come to close quarters, bring to bay, ride full tilt against, attack tooth and nail, go at hammer and tongs, let fly at, dash at, run a tilt at, rush at, tilt at, run at, fly at, hawk at, have at, let out at, make a dash, make a rush at, strike home, drive one hard, press one hard, be hard upon, run down, strike at the root of, lay about one, run amuck, aim at, draw a bead on, fire upon, fire at, fire a shot at, shoot at, pop at, level at, let off a gun at, open fire, pepper, bombard, shell, pour a broadside into, fire a volley, fire red-hot shot, spring a mine, throw a stone, throw stones at, stone, lapidate, pelt, hurl at, hurl against, hurl at the head of, rock beset, besiege, beleaguer, lay siege to, invest, open the trenches, plant a battery, sap, mine, storm, board, scale the walls, cut and thrust, bayonet, butt, kick, strike, whip, assail, impugn, malign (detract), bomb, rocket, blast.

VB  be pungent, bite the tongue, render pungent, season, spice, salt, pepper, pickle, brine, devil, smoke, chew, take snuff.

N  condiment, seasoning, sauce, spice, relish, appetizer, salt, mustard, grey poupon mustard, pepper, black pepper, white pepper, peppercorn, curry, sauce piquante, caviare, onion, garlic, pickle, achar, allspice, bell pepper, Jamaica pepper, green pepper, chutney, cubeb, pimento, capsicum, red pepper, chili peppers, cayenne, nutmeg, mace, cinnamon, oregano, cloves, fennel, pot herbs, parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, marjoram, frankincense, balm, myrrh, paprika, saffron, ginger, turmeric.

bell pepper, betel pepper, bird pepper, black pepper, brazilian pepper tree, capsicum pepper plant, cayenne pepper, cherry pepper, chili pepper, chilli pepper, common pepper, cone pepper, garden pepper cress, globe pepper, green pepper, guinea pepper, hot pepper, jalapeno pepper, java pepper, long pepper, madagascar pepper, melagueta pepper, negro pepper, pepper box, pepper bush, pepper dulse, pepper family, pepper grass, pepper grinder, pepper mill, pepper pot, pepper root, pepper sauce, pepper shaker, pepper shrub, pepper spray, pepper steak, pepper tree, pepper vine, philadelphia pepper pot, red pepper, sweet pepper, sweet pepper plant, tabasco pepper, true pepper, wall pepper, water pepper, white pepper