From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishspicespice1 /spaɪs/ ●●○ noun 1 
[countable, uncountable]DFC a type of powder or seed, taken from plants, that you put into food you are cooking to give it a special taste → spicy herbs and spices2 [singular, uncountable]EXCITED interest or excitement that is added to something Travel adds spice to your life. → variety is the spice of life at variety(5)
[countable, uncountable]DFC a type of powder or seed, taken from plants, that you put into food you are cooking to give it a special taste → spicy herbs and spices2 [singular, uncountable]EXCITED interest or excitement that is added to something Travel adds spice to your life. → variety is the spice of life at variety(5)Examples from the Corpus
spice• Adding real-life drama can add spice to a high school history lesson.• These products are usually 100 percent turkey meat with certain spices added.• Add oregano and other Italian spices to the mixture.• Get the habit of flavouring with mild spices, herbs and other natural seasonings.• They are sometimes mixed with other spices, such as allspice or coriander seeds, for a table condiment.• Sprinkle the spices over the hot fudge.• Tastes almost too rich with the spices and brandy.• There were spices - a small cloth pouch of cumin and a bigger one of turmeric.• Along with spices, religious fervor also obsessed them.spicespice2 (also spice up) verb [transitive] 1 INTERESTINGto add interest or excitement to something Millions have bought the book to spice up their sex lives.2 DFCto add spice to foodspice with baked apples spiced with cinnamon→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
spice• It is also seductive - the achingly boring days in the Co-operative were suddenly spiced by the conspiring behind the haberdashery counter.• If you are making your own sauce, spice it liberally but keep it thin.• Cook and serve with a sauce Pastrami p21/ Brisket of beef, salted and spiced then coated in peppercorns.• Some other ways salsa can spice up a dish: Top a baked potato or macaroni and cheese.• CBS spiced up its Monday night line-up with a new sexy drama.• This should be spiced with a little chilli paste, and poured over the squid which you have kept just warm.spice with• The sauce can be spiced up with a little chili powder.Origin spice1 (1200-1300) Old French espice, from Late Latin species “spices”, from Latin; → SPECIES 