pepperbox

A chef shakes a pepperbox over a simmering pot of soup.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A small container with perforated top for sprinkling pepper: A "pepperbox" is a small vessel, typically made of metal, glass, or wood, with a lid that has small holes, used to hold and dispense ground pepper at the table.
   • A type of revolver: In historical firearms, a "pepperbox" refers to a multi-barreled handgun with a rotating barrel group, resembling the shape of a pepper container, popular in the 19th century.

Usage Examples

• As a container:

  • She passed the pepperbox to her father so he could season his soup. (A small container with holes for sprinkling pepper.)
  • The antique pepperbox on the dining table was made of silver. (A decorative or functional pepper dispenser.)

• As a firearm:

  • The museum displayed a 19th-century pepperbox revolver used in the Wild West. (A multi-barreled handgun with a rotating barrel group.)

Advanced Usage

• "pepperbox of insults": A figurative expression meaning a rapid succession of insults, likened to the rapid-fire nature of a pepperbox revolver.
  • The comedian unleashed a pepperbox of insults at the heckler. (A quick, repetitive series of verbal attacks.)

Variants and Related Words

• Pepperbox turnet (n): A type of architectural feature or a small turret resembling a pepperbox in shape.

  • The castle had a pepperbox turret at each corner. (A small, rounded tower.)

• Pepperbox pistol (n): A specific type of pepperbox firearm, typically a handgun.

  • He collected antique pepperbox pistols from the Civil War era. (A historical multi-barreled handgun.)

Synonyms

• For the container: pepper shaker, pepper pot, caster.
• For the firearm: revolver, multi-barreled pistol, volley gun.

Related Idioms

• "Like a pepperbox": Used to describe something that produces many small, rapid things (e.g., words, shots).
  • His speech came out like a pepperbox, with jokes and puns flying everywhere. (Rapid and numerous.)

Note on Usage

• The term "pepperbox" is less common in modern English for the container, where "pepper shaker" is more typical. However, it remains the standard term for the historical firearm.