Liberal Dictionary English Dictionary
pepper spray ExamplesWord Origin noun
- an aerosol spray that temporarily irritates the eyes and mucous membranes, used to stun and incapacitate a person or animal: police use of pepper spray to control rioters.
Origin of pepper spray First recorded in 1985–90; the active ingredient is capsaicin, extracted from capsicum peppers Examples from the Web for pepper spray Historical Examples of pepper spray
The cops were running for them, batons out, pepper-spray out.
Cory Doctorow
It was a little stainless-steel aerosol canister that looked for all the world like a pepper-spray self-defense unit.
Cory Doctorow
He turned it and let the door crash open as two cops in riot-visors came through, pepper-spray at the fore.
Cory Doctorow
British Dictionary definitions for pepper spray pepper spray noun
- a defence spray agent derived from hot cayenne peppers, which causes temporary blindness and breathing difficulty, sometimes used to control riots