Definition of pepper with

The origin of the phrase "pepper with" goes back to the medieval era when black pepper was a highly valued spice used to season and preserve food. As the demand for black pepper increased, it became a lucrative commodity and a valuable trading item. Merchants and ships carrying black pepper were often the target of pirates and robbers. To defend themselves, they would "pepper" their attackers with black pepper by either flinging small vessels called peppering boats (that carried black pepper) at them or throwing bags filled with pepper. The attackers, oblivious to true pepper obstructions, would evacuate as they choked and coughed from the intense irritation caused by black pepper. This tactic was a common naval warfare tactic used by Dutch seafarers during the 17th century, as documented in the Dutch naval manual (Pontzwinnig:t nuttige natuurkunde, veten van sevaerdt Poppas ende het gebruyck van haar voor denayer) in 1643. It was mentioned in publications such as A New Voyage Around the World (1704) by William Dampier, who discussed how British naval forces used "pepper ships" to keep the French at bay at the Island of Madagascar. The expression "pepper with" is an adaptation of the military tactic, with a figurative meaning, and is used today to describe the act of adding many individuals, objects or details to a particular situation or scenario. It is a metaphor for spicing up or enlivening a situation, much like how black pepper could noticeably alter and intensify the taste of food.