piper

n. 1. (Mus.) One who plays on a pipe, or the like, esp. on a bagpipe. “The hereditary piper and his sons.” Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) (a) A common European gurnard (Trigla lyra), having a large head, with prominent nasal projection, and with large, sharp, opercular spines. (b) A sea urchin (Goniocidaris hystrix) having very long spines, native of both the American and European coasts. [ 1913 Webster ]

To pay the piper, to bear the cost, expense, or trouble. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. piper pepper. ] (Bot.) Of or pertaining to the order of plants (Piperaceæ) of which the pepper (Piper nigrum) is the type. There are about a dozen genera and a thousand species, mostly tropical plants with pungent and aromatic qualities. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Chem.) Pertaining to, or derived from, or designating, a complex organic acid found in the products of different members of the Pepper family, and extracted as a yellowish crystalline substance. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) Same as Pepperidge. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Chem.) An oily liquid alkaloid, C5H11N, having a hot, peppery, ammoniacal odor. It is related to pyridine, and is obtained by the decomposition of piperine. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. piper pepper: cf. F. piperin, piperine. ] (Chem.) A white crystalline compound of piperidine and piperic acid. It is obtained from the black pepper (Piper nigrum) and other species. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Chem.) A white crystalline substance obtained by oxidation of piperic acid, and regarded as a complex aldehyde. [ 1913 Webster ]