pepper spray

noun

1. 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.

pepper spray

noun

1. a defence spray agent derived from hot cayenne peppers, which causes temporary blindness and breathing difficulty, sometimes used to control riots

Word History and Origins

Origin of pepper spray¹

First recorded in 1985–90; the active ingredient is capsaicin, extracted from capsicum peppers

Example Sentences

Then the agent “holstered” his fire arm and pulled out his pepper spray, according to the complaint.

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After Ruesch was handcuffed, police found a second gun, pepper spray, drawstring handcuffs and a folding knife.

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His leg had been cut from the broken glass, Retes told ProPublica, and lingering pepper spray burned his hands.He tried to soothe them by filling sandwich bags with water.

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I gripped the pepper spray I carry in my pocket and told my kids to run home.

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County’s juvenile halls in 2018 and found probation officers were using pepper spray excessively, failing to provide proper educational and therapeutic programming and detaining youths in solitary confinement for far too long.

Read more on Los Angeles Times