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to pepper

to pepper

20 5.5
To hit something with many small things or to ask someone many quick questions
  • verb
  • /ˈpɛpər/
translation icon : salpicar de
  • Sachs is an animated political animal who peppers his conversation with colorful anecdotes.
  • peppered with questions
  • peppered with references

So the red flags tend to get peppered in there with the good stuff.

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Examples

  • P271 pieces of shrapnel peppered the pod's metal skin and sliced into the engine inside.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • While Malina prepares the meal, Annie hovers nearby, peppering her with questions about her family.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • In one day, three different news vehicles are peppered with small arms fire.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • We were peppered with cannon fire.

  • PK steps left and peppers him with three quick blows to the face.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • He peppers him with a right, he peppers him with a left.

  • Bud was sprawled at the feet of the Commander, whose back was peppered with bullet holes.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • After services, she had been beset by a crowd of villagers peppering her with questions about her mysterious lodger.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • The outnumbered and fearful whites of Ellijay peppered Gilmer with pleas for protection.

    Academic text (2011)
  • The children peppered the playground with colorful confetti during the celebration.

Synonyms

to bomb
vsto pepper
300 3.1

To attack a place by dropping explosive devices from planes

can mean many small hits or distribution, not only explosive strikes
to sprinkle
vsto pepper
100 1.1

To put small drops of liquid or tiny pieces on something

usually implies an attack or bombardment rather than gentle scattering
to bombard
vsto pepper
13 5.4

To attack something repeatedly by throwing things like stones or bombs

is about scattering many small things rather than only long-range attacks
to pelt
vsto pepper
12 5.5

To throw things repeatedly at a person or place

is broader, meaning to spread many small things over or at something
to carpet bomb
vsto pepper
  • NSFW
4 7.5

To attack a wide area from the air by dropping many bombs

refers more generally to spreading many small things, not massive area attacks

Antonyms

1.0

To keep someone or something safe from harm

Compounds

31 3.5

A small can of strong liquid that makes your eyes burn to stop people or animals

21 1.6

A large sweet vegetable shaped like a bell and eaten raw or cooked

21 1.0

A dark spice made from dried peppercorns used to season food

11 2.0

A long hot chili used fresh or dried to add spice to food

9 2.0

A spicy red or green pepper used to add heat to food

9 1.0

A small red or green pod that makes food hot

9 1.0

A sweet pepper picked while green that turns red when ripe

A fine spice from crushing peppercorns that adds heat to food

A small container with holes in the top for sprinkling ground pepper

A long thin hot red chili used in cooking

3 2.4

A light-colored spice that comes from ripe peppercorns with their skins removed and has a milder taste than black pepper

2 2.8

A sauce with a lot of black pepper served with meat like steak

A hot red powder made from dried chilies to add heat to food

A medium-hot green or red chili from Mexico used in cooking

1 2.1

A red ground spice made from dried chili pods and seeds

1 1.5

A large mild fruit often eaten as a vegetable with thick walls and a bell shape

A small evergreen tree or shrub that people often grow for decoration

1 3.4

A steak covered with crushed pepper and cooked in a pan with brandy and butter sauce

1 1.7

A small tool that crushes peppercorns into ground pepper for adding flavor to food

1 6.1

A tree with wide branches and small groups of flowers

1 1.0

A climbing tropical plant that makes dark red berries used as a spice

1 2.3

A small container with holes in the top for sprinkling ground pepper on food

1 2.1

A tool that grinds whole peppercorns into small grains for food

1 2.2

Strips of steak cooked with green peppers and onions in a savory sauce

true pepper
  • Specialized
1 6.8

A climbing plant from the tropics that makes small round spice seeds used in cooking

betel pepper
  • Indian
9.9

An Asian climbing plant whose leaves people chew with betel nut

8.9

A small plant from Central America with tiny red fruits that are very hot to eat

A strong spicy drink made by adding black pepper to vodka

capsicum pepper plant
  • Specialized
3.8

A tropical plant that grows peppers used in cooking or as spice

A small round red fruit like a cherry that has a spicy taste

A climbing plant from warm countries whose dried berries make black pepper

A plant that makes small hot fruits in a cone shape, often red or yellow

A spice from a West African plant's dried fruit that has a fresh peppery taste

A long hot spice that comes from a climbing plant, like black pepper

A climbing tropical plant that produces dark red berries used like pepper

A West African seed used as a strong, spicy flavor for food

A small plant with spicy leaves used to add flavor to salads and decorate food

A round sweet pepper with thick walls often used for stuffing or roasting

A West African plant whose hot seeds people use as a spice and medicine

A spice mix of ground pepper and dried herbs like basil and oregano

A spice from a tropical shrubby vine that adds a hot, fruity taste to food

negro pepper
  • Archaic
9.9

A spice from the seeds of a West African tree that adds a strong smell to food and medicine

pepper root
  • Specialized
9.6

A North American plant with strong spicy roots used for food and medicine

An evergreen shrub or small tree with leaves that have red and yellow patches and small black fruits

7.5

A shrub with sweet-smelling white flower spikes that attract insects

pepper family
  • Specialized
7.2

A family of tropical plants like black pepper vines with a strong smell and small flowers in spikes

4.8

A small herb with spicy leaves used in salads or as a garnish

1.4

A small container with holes for sprinkling pepper onto food

7.2

A thick spicy soup with vegetables and cow stomach often served with dumplings

pepper vine
  • Specialized
6.2

A climbing or bush plant whose small fruits are dried to make a common cooking spice

Vodka flavored with pepper to make it spicy

A cloth woven with light and dark threads to make a speckled look

A spicy soup with cow tripe, vegetables, and pepper often with dumplings

A plant that grows large, mild fruits like bell peppers for salads

tabasco pepper
  • Specialized
4.8

A small very hot red chili that people use to make hot sauce

9.9

A small plant that grows along the ground or walls with thick leaves and bright yellow flowers

How Intense

to saturate
55 5.2
to bombard
13 5.4
to pepper
20 5.5
to pelt
12 5.5
to sprinkle
100 1.1

Surface Forms

pepper infinitive
peppered past
peppered past participle
peppering present participle
peppers third person singular

Etymology

Pepper used in the sense 'to hit or fill with many small things' comes from the image of scattering tiny grains of pepper over something. That's why we say someone was peppered with questions or that a surface was peppered with small marks.