[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/spice/) [dictionaries](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [English](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/) / [S](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/s/) / spice # spice noun (a spice, spices; spice — uncountable for excitement); verb (spice, spices, spiced, spicing; spice up) «spice» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova. ## 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 →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spice/#m1) 2. Spice also means excitement or interest that makes something less boring: «variety is the spice of life». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spice/#m2) 3. To spice food is to add spices to it. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spice/#m3) 4. To spice something up is to make it more exciting or interesting. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spice/#m4) ### 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 →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spice/#x1) - Mum keeps her spices in little jars on a rack. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spice/#x2) - Add a pinch of spice to the soup. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spice/#x3) - The ships carried spices from faraway lands. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spice/#x4) - Let's spice up the party with some games. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spice/#x5) - Variety is the spice of life. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spice/#x6) - Gran made spiced apple cake. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spice/#x7) - Some spices, like chilli, make food hot. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spice/#x8) - She smells of spice and honey. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spice/#x9) ### 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 →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/spice/#x1) - oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil, and for the sweet incense; (Torah EXO.25.6, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/spice/#x2) - and oil for the light, and spices for the anointing oil, and for the sweet incense; (Torah EXO.35.8, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/spice/#x3) - And some of the sons of the priests prepared the confection of the spices. (Writings 1CH.9.30, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/spice/#x4) - 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 →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/spice/#x5) - 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 →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/spice/#x6) ### 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. ## On Mova - [Trees and pragmatics of «spice» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spice/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames. - [«spice» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/spice.html) on Mova free. - [Trees and pragmatics of «spice» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/spice/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames. - [«spice» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/spice.html) on Mova free.