pepper spray
noun
: a temporarily disabling aerosol that is composed partly of capsicum oleoresin and causes irritation and blinding of the eyes and inflammation of the nose, throat, and skin
Example Sentences
The police used pepper spray to bring the suspect under control.
Recent Examples on the Web There are casualties on both sides; a cop is taken hostage; civilians are beaten and smothered in pepper spray. 
Peter Debruge, Variety, 2 Sep. 2022 Khater asked for the bear spray after police sprayed rioters with pepper spray and a video recording captured Khater spraying Sicknick during the siege, according to court records. Bart Jansen, USA TODAY, 1 Sep. 2022 Kari Nelson recalled the truck’s cab filling with pepper spray, burning both of them, while Freddy Nelson was coated in orange spray and is seen rubbing his eyes in the video. oregonlive, 20 Aug. 2022 The guards confiscated pepper spray from Drakeo’s bodyguard, but Caldwell recalled cars of VIPs driving through unsearched. August Brownstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2022 The parent of a Georgia elementary school student was in jail late Tuesday, accused of discharging pepper spray on a school bus taking 24 students to their campus, officials said. Dennis Romero, NBC News, 17 Aug. 2022 In three separate incidents, three people reported they'd been approached in the popular Highlands-area park on July 29 and July 30 by a man holding pepper spray and a taser with the intent of using it against them. The Courier-Journal, 11 Aug. 2022 And as Asian Americans in New York, including Chinatown, faced attacks against their communities, the store partnered with the nonprofit Soar Over Hate to hand out free pepper spray and personal safety devices. Harmeet Kaur, CNN, 5 Aug. 2022 Carry Self-Defense Products Consider bringing along low-profile personal safety gear, such as an alarm or pepper spray. Outside Online, 1 Aug. 2022 See More
Peter Debruge, Variety, 2 Sep. 2022 Khater asked for the bear spray after police sprayed rioters with pepper spray and a video recording captured Khater spraying Sicknick during the siege, according to court records. Bart Jansen, USA TODAY, 1 Sep. 2022 Kari Nelson recalled the truck’s cab filling with pepper spray, burning both of them, while Freddy Nelson was coated in orange spray and is seen rubbing his eyes in the video. oregonlive, 20 Aug. 2022 The guards confiscated pepper spray from Drakeo’s bodyguard, but Caldwell recalled cars of VIPs driving through unsearched. August Brownstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2022 The parent of a Georgia elementary school student was in jail late Tuesday, accused of discharging pepper spray on a school bus taking 24 students to their campus, officials said. Dennis Romero, NBC News, 17 Aug. 2022 In three separate incidents, three people reported they'd been approached in the popular Highlands-area park on July 29 and July 30 by a man holding pepper spray and a taser with the intent of using it against them. The Courier-Journal, 11 Aug. 2022 And as Asian Americans in New York, including Chinatown, faced attacks against their communities, the store partnered with the nonprofit Soar Over Hate to hand out free pepper spray and personal safety devices. Harmeet Kaur, CNN, 5 Aug. 2022 Carry Self-Defense Products Consider bringing along low-profile personal safety gear, such as an alarm or pepper spray. Outside Online, 1 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
1979, in the meaning defined above
- (one's) age is catching up to one
- (only) time will tell
- (out) in/into the open
- (right) under someone's nose
- (right) up/down someone's alley
- (sitting) in the catbird seat
- (someone's) courage fails him/her
- (somewhere) in the region of
- (the right of) first refusal
- (the) back of beyond
- (the) cat has someone's tongue
- (the) crowd
- (the) deuce
- (the) goods
- (the) herd
- (the) last someone heard
- (the) last someone saw
- (the) masses
- (the) mob
- (the) more fool one
- (the) people
- (the) populace
- (the) public
- (the) worse for wear
- (there) but for the grace of God (go I)