spice

Everyday

1. A spice is a dried part of a plant, such as seeds, bark or roots, used to give food a strong flavour: pepper, cinnamon, ginger, cumin. tree →
2. Spice also means excitement or interest that makes something less boring: «variety is the spice of life». tree →
3. To spice food is to add spices to it. tree →
4. To spice something up is to make it more exciting or interesting. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday cooking and stories about markets and trade; in history lessons, spices were traded over long distances and were very valuable. In science, smell and taste. Phrases: herbs and spices, spice rack, mixed spice (UK), spice it up, a hint of spice.

Examples

• Cinnamon is my favourite spice. tree →
• Mum keeps her spices in little jars on a rack. tree →
• Add a pinch of spice to the soup. tree →
• The ships carried spices from faraway lands. tree →
• Let's spice up the party with some games. tree →
• Variety is the spice of life. tree →
• Gran made spiced apple cake. tree →
• Some spices, like chilli, make food hot. tree →
• She smells of spice and honey. tree →

Note

Countable for kinds of spice (many spices), uncountable for the stuff (a bit of spice). Herbs are usually the leaves (basil, mint); spices are usually seeds, bark or roots. «Spice» is also a slang name for a dangerous drug — keep away from anything called that.

In Jewish tradition

Spices in the Torah are sweet-smelling plants used for the holy anointing oil and the incense. Priests' sons prepared the spice mixture, and the Song of Songs uses spices like spikenard and cinnamon as a picture of the sweetness of love.

Interpretation. Tradition holds that the Tabernacle's incense used eleven spices. Burning incense was one of the priests' sacred duties. The rabbis read the Song of Songs garden as a picture of God and Israel.

Examples

• and he burnt thereon incense of sweet spices; as the LORD commanded Moses. (Torah EXO.40.27, JPS 1917) tree →
• oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil, and for the sweet incense; (Torah EXO.25.6, JPS 1917) tree →
• and oil for the light, and spices for the anointing oil, and for the sweet incense; (Torah EXO.35.8, JPS 1917) tree →
• And some of the sons of the priests prepared the confection of the spices. (Writings 1CH.9.30, JPS 1917) tree →
• Spikenard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices. (Writings SNG.4.14, JPS 1917) tree →
• Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. (Writings SNG.4.16, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Countable for kinds of spice (many spices), uncountable for the stuff (a bit of spice). Herbs are usually the leaves (basil, mint); spices are usually seeds, bark or roots. «Spice» is also a slang name for a dangerous drug — keep away from anything called that.