spice

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spice

(spīs)

a. Any of various pungent, aromatic plant substances, such as cinnamon or nutmeg, used to flavor foods or beverages.

b. These substances considered as a group.

2. Something that adds zest or interest: The controversy added spice to the political campaign.

3. A pungent aroma.

tr.v. spiced, spic·ing, spic·es

1. To season with spices.

2. To add zest or interest to: uses witty rhymes to spice up the song.

[Middle English, from Old French espice, from Late Latin speciēs, wares, spices, from Latin, kind; see species.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

spice

(spaɪs)

1. (Cookery)

a. any of a variety of aromatic vegetable substances, such as ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, used as flavourings

b. these substances collectively

2. something that represents or introduces zest, charm, or gusto

3. rare a small amount

4. (Cookery) dialect Yorkshire confectionery

vb (tr)

5. (Cookery) to prepare or flavour (food) with spices

6. to introduce charm or zest into

[C13: from Old French espice, from Late Latin speciēs (pl) spices, from Latin speciēs (sing) kind; also associated with Late Latin spīcea (unattested) fragrant herb, from Latin spīceus having spikes of foliage; see spica]

ˈspicer n

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

spice

(spaɪs)

n., v. spiced, spic•ing. n.

1. a pungent or aromatic vegetable substance, as pepper or cinnamon, used to season food.

2. such substances collectively.

3. a spicy or aromatic odor or fragrance.

4. something that gives zest or piquancy: The anecdotes added spice to the speech.

5. Archaic. a small quantity; trace.

v.t.

6. to season with spice.

7. to give zest, piquancy, or interest to.

[1175–1225; (n.) Middle English, aph. form of Old French espice < Latin speciēs appearance, sort, kind (see species), in Late Latin (pl.): wares, spices, drugs]

herb, spice, seasoning - Herbs are, technically, plants with aerial parts used for seasoning foods, and a spice (also called seasoning) is any substance used for seasoning foods; many herbs are used as spices, but not all.

spice

Past participle: spiced
Gerund: spicing

Imperative
spice
spice

Present
I spice
you spice
he/she/it spices
we spice
you spice
they spice

Preterite
I spiced
you spiced
he/she/it spiced
we spiced
you spiced
they spiced

Present Continuous
I am spicing
you are spicing
he/she/it is spicing
we are spicing
you are spicing
they are spicing

Present Perfect
I have spiced
you have spiced
he/she/it has spiced
we have spiced
you have spiced
they have spiced

Past Continuous
I was spicing
you were spicing
he/she/it was spicing
we were spicing
you were spicing
they were spicing

Past Perfect
I had spiced
you had spiced
he/she/it had spiced
we had spiced
you had spiced
they had spiced

Future
I will spice
you will spice
he/she/it will spice
we will spice
you will spice
they will spice

Future Perfect
I will have spiced
you will have spiced
he/she/it will have spiced
we will have spiced
you will have spiced
they will have spiced

Future Continuous
I will be spicing
you will be spicing
he/she/it will be spicing
we will be spicing
you will be spicing
they will be spicing

Present Perfect Continuous
I have been spicing
you have been spicing
he/she/it has been spicing
we have been spicing
you have been spicing
they have been spicing

Future Perfect Continuous
I will have been spicing
you will have been spicing
he/she/it will have been spicing
we will have been spicing
you will have been spicing
they will have been spicing

Past Perfect Continuous
I had been spicing
you had been spicing
he/she/it had been spicing
we had been spicing
you had been spicing
they had been spicing

Conditional
I would spice
you would spice
he/she/it would spice
we would spice
you would spice
they would spice

Past Conditional
I would have spiced
you would have spiced
he/she/it would have spiced
we would have spiced
you would have spiced
they would have spiced

Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Noun	1.	spice - aromatic substances of vegetable origin used as a preservative preservative - a chemical compound that is added to protect against decay or decomposition stacte - (Old Testament) one of several sweet-smelling spices used in incense
	2.	spice - any of a variety of pungent aromatic vegetable substances used for flavoring food flavorer, flavoring, flavourer, flavouring, seasoning, seasoner - something added to food primarily for the savor it imparts five spice powder - Chinese seasoning made by grinding star anise and fennel and pepper and cloves and cinnamon allspice - ground dried berrylike fruit of a West Indian allspice tree; suggesting combined flavors of cinnamon and nutmeg and cloves cinnamon - spice from the dried aromatic bark of the Ceylon cinnamon tree; used as rolled strips or ground clove - spice from dried unopened flower bud of the clove tree; used whole or ground fennel - fennel seeds are ground and used as a spice or as an ingredient of a spice mixture powdered ginger, ginger - dried ground gingerroot mace - spice made from the dried fleshy covering of the nutmeg seed nutmeg - hard aromatic seed of the nutmeg tree used as spice when grated or ground star aniseed, Chinese anise, star anise - anise-scented star-shaped fruit or seed used in Asian cooking and medicine
	3.	spice - the property of being seasoned with spice and so highly flavored spicery, spiciness taste property - a property appreciated via the sense of taste raciness, pungency, sharpness, bite - a strong odor or taste property; "the pungency of mustard"; "the sulfurous bite of garlic"; "the sharpness of strange spices"; "the raciness of the wine" piquance, piquancy, piquantness, tang, tanginess, zest - a tart spicy quality pepperiness, hotness - a hot spiciness
Verb	1.	spice - make more interesting or flavorful; "Spice up the evening by inviting a belly dancer" spice up alter, change, modify - cause to change; make different; cause a transformation; "The advent of the automobile may have altered the growth pattern of the city"; "The discussion has changed my thinking about the issue" salt - add zest or liveliness to; "She salts her lectures with jokes"
	2.	spice - add herbs or spices to spice up, zest cookery, cooking, preparation - the act of preparing something (as food) by the application of heat; "cooking can be a great art"; "people are needed who have experience in cookery"; "he left the preparation of meals to his wife" flavor, flavour, season - lend flavor to; "Season the chicken breast after roasting it" ginger - add ginger to in order to add flavor; "ginger the soup" pepper - add pepper to; "pepper the soup"

spice

noun

1. seasoning, condiment herbs and spices

2. excitement, kick (informal), zest, colour, pep, zip (informal), tang, zap (slang), gusto, zing (informal), piquancy The spice of danger will add to the lure.

spice something up make more interesting, enliven, liven up, animate, perk up, pep up, invigorate, vitalize, vivify, make more exciting Her publishers wants her to spice the stories up with sex. see herbs, spices and seasonings

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

spice

noun

A substance that imparts taste:

condiment, flavor, flavoring, seasoner, seasoning.

Translations

تَابِل تابِلتابِل، نَكْهَه، طَعْميُتَبِّل، يُعْطي نَكْهَه

kořeníokořenitoživení

krydderikrydre

Gewürz Würze würzen

μπαχαρικό

especia sazonar condimentar sabor salsa

maustemaustaa

épice épicer épices piquant assaisonner

začin

fűszer

bumbu

kryddkryddaupplífgun, krydd

spezia spezie spinto speziare aroma

香辛料スパイス

향신료

paskaninti prieskoniaissu prieskoniais

dzīvīgumsgaršvielapielikt garšvielaspikantums

specerij kruid kruiden

krydder krydre sette spiss på

przyprawa

especiaria

специя пряность

začimbazačiniti

krydda

เครื่องเทศ

baharatbaharat katmakdeğişiklik heyecan

gia vị

加添香料于...调味品趣味香料

spice

[spaɪs]

A. N

1. (Culin) → especia f
mixed spice(s) → especias fpl mixtas
variety is the spice of life → en la variedad está el gusto

2. (fig) → lo picante
the papers like stories with some spice → a los periódicos les gustan los reportajes con algo de picante
the details add spice to the story → los detalles dan sabor a la historia

B. VT

1. (Culin) → condimentar, sazonar

2. (fig) a highly spiced account → un relato de mucho picante
gossip spiced with scandal → cotilleos con el sabor picante que da el escándalo

C. CPD spice rack N → especiero m

spice up VT + ADV

1. (= season) → condimentar, dar más sabor a
use it to spice up rice dishes and stews → úselo para condimentar or dar mas sabor a los platos de arroz y estofados

2. (= enliven) it could help spice up your sex life → podría ayudar a estimular su vida sexual

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

spice

[ˈspaɪs]

(for cooking) → épice f

(= excitement) → piquant m
to add spice to sth → ajouter du piquant à qch, pimenter qch
variety is the spice of life → la diversité est le sel de la vie

[+ cooking, dish] → épicer

(= add excitement) [+ conversation, film] → donner du piquant à, corser
to be spiced with sth [+ humour, intrigue] → être agrémenté(e) de qch

spice up

vt sep (= add excitement to) [+ story, conversation] → donner du piquant à, donner du sel à

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

spice

→ Gewürz nt; spice rack → Gewürzbord or -regal nt; spice trade → Gewürzhandel m; mixed spice → Gewürzmischung f

(fig) → Würze f; (= trace: of irony, humour) → Anflug m, → Hauch m; the spice of life → die Würze des Lebens; stories with some spice → pikante Geschichten pl

vt (lit, fig) → würzen

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

spice

[spaɪs]

1. n (Culin) → droga, spezia (fig) → sapore m
mixed spice(s) → spezie miste
variety is the spice of life → la varietà dà sapore alla vita

2. vt (Culin) → condire (con spezie), aromatizzare
a highly spiced account → un racconto molto gustoso

spice

(spais) noun

1. a usually strong-smelling, sharp-tasting vegetable substance used to flavour food (eg pepper or nutmeg). We added cinnamon and other spices.

2. anything that adds liveliness or interest. Her arrival added spice to the party.

verb

to flavour with spice. The curry had been heavily spiced.

spiced adjective

containing spice(s). The dish was heavily spiced.

ˈspicy adjective

tasting or smelling of spices. a spicy cake; He complained that the sausages were too spicy for him.

ˈspiciness noun

spice

→ تَابِل koření krydderi Gewürz μπαχαρικό especia mauste épice začin spezia 香辛料 향신료 specerij krydder przyprawa especiaria специя krydda เครื่องเทศ baharat gia vị 香料

spice

n. especia, condimento.

spice

n especia, condimento

References in classic literature ?

This great man, as is well known to all lovers of polite eating, begins at first by setting plain things before his hungry guests, rising afterwards by degrees as their stomachs may be supposed to decrease, to the very quintessence of sauce and spices. In like manner, we shall represent human nature at first to the keen appetite of our reader, in that more plain and simple manner in which it is found in the country, and shall hereafter hash and ragoo it with all the high French and Italian seasoning of affectation and vice which courts and cities afford.

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However, at last, nothing else offering, and as sitting still, to me especially, was the unhappiest part of life, I resolved on this voyage too, which we made very successfully, touching at Borneo and several other islands, and came home in about five months, when we sold our spices, with very great profit, to the Persian merchants, who carried them away to the Gulf.

In the interval of these consultations, my friend, who was always upon the search for business, proposed another voyage among the Spice Islands, to bring home a loading of cloves from the Manillas, or thereabouts.

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We left this island early the next morning, and soon came in sight of Cape Gardafui, so celebrated heretofore under the name of the Cape of Spices, either because great quantities were then found there, or from its neighbourhood to Arabia the Happy, even at this day famous for its fragrant products.

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His wine he takes hot when the nights are cold, malvoisie or vernage, with as much spice as would cover the thumb-nail.

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But the coach was drawn by good horses, who soon carried Van Baerle away from among the shouts which the rabble roared in honour of the most magnanimous Stadtholder, mixing with it a spice of abuse against the brothers De Witt and the godson of Cornelius, who had just now been saved from death.

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Of the curate I say nothing; but I will wager he has some spice of the poet in him, and no doubt Master Nicholas too, for all barbers, or most of them, are guitar players and stringers of verses.

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"It will spice our trip with a little variety to sail over a spacious sheet of water."

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I know and understand what a spice that would add to the pleasure of deceiving me, if it really were true.

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"I wonder what it would be like to live in a world where it was always June," said Anne, as she came through the spice and bloom of the twilit orchard to the front door steps, where Marilla and Mrs.

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In short, Miss Cornelia's conversation was singularly devoid of spice that day, and Gilbert, who had stayed home to listen to her, instead of going a-fishing, as he had intended, felt himself aggrieved.

View in context

The last of the three volume series covers herbs and spices such as asafetida, capers, carambola to perilla and many more.