raspberries

1. 1
   noun

   Plural of raspberry.

   The market stall sold fresh raspberries by the pint.

   She folded the raspberries into the batter at the last moment.

   Note

   One spelling carries every meaning of the singular: fruit in a bowl, the Rubus plants that bear it, a shade of ripe red, and the rude noise made with the tongue or lips to mock or amuse. Context does the sorting. One meaning needs care. In informal speech, raspberry can also be a derogatory word for a disabled person, so never use the plural as a label for people.

2. 2
   verb

   Third-person singular simple present of raspberry.

   Whenever the politician dodges a question, the heckler in the back row raspberries him.

   The clown raspberries at the audience to get the children giggling.

   Note

   Two quite different actions stand behind this verb form. Someone who raspberries may be out gathering the fruit, or may be blowing the mocking noise at someone. The noisy meaning is informal and usually aims at a target: it takes a direct object (raspberries the speaker) or at (raspberries at the crowd). The foraging meaning describes a pastime rather than an insult.

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