zest

noun

• 1great enthusiasm and energy:they campaigned with zest and intelligence [in singular]:she had a great zest for life
• a quality of excitement and piquancy:I used to try to beat past records to add zest to my monotonous job

• 2the outer coloured part of the peel of citrus fruit, used as flavouring: add 3 tablespoons of lemon zest

verb

• scrape off the outer coloured part of the peel of (a piece of citrus fruit) for use as flavouring:zest the orange and lemon, taking care to discard all of the white pith