pepper box
1
2.3
- noun
- /ˈpɛpər bɑks/
- UK
:
pimentero
- She reached for the pepper box to add some spice to her soup.
Examples
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Please pass the pepper box.
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The vintage pepper box matched the old-fashioned salt cellar on the dinner table.
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After refilling the pepper box, he placed it neatly next to the napkins.
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I need a new pepper box for the kitchen.
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She reached for the pepper box on the table to add some flavor to her soup.
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The waiter placed a pepper box beside the salt for customers to use.
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After the meal, he unscrewed the lid of the pepper box to refill it with more pepper.
Synonyms
∞
1.0
A usually rectangular container with a lid for holding things or the amount it holds
4
1.2
A small container with holes in the top for sprinkling ground pepper
A small container with holes on top for sprinkling pepper
A small container with holes for sprinkling pepper onto food
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a small container for sprinkling ground pepper' is directly and compositionally derived from 'pepper' (the spice) + 'box' (a container). English noun–noun compounding to indicate the contents or purpose of a container is common and mirrored across many languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
Pepper box comes from the plain picture of a small box that holds ground pepper and has holes in its lid so you can shake pepper onto food. That's why it means 'a small container for sprinkling ground pepper'.