cap

cap¹

noun

1》 a soft, flat hat without a brim and usually with a peak.

    ↘a soft, close-fitting head covering worn for a particular purpose: a shower cap.

    ↘an academic mortar board.

2》 a protective lid or cover for a bottle, pen, etc.

    ↘Dentistry an artificial protective covering for a tooth.

3》 an upper limit imposed on spending or borrowing.

4》 Brit. a cap awarded to members of a sports team, especially a national team.

5》 (also Dutch cap) Brit. informal a contraceptive diaphragm.

6》 the broad upper part of the fruiting body of a mushroom or toadstool.

7》 short for percussion cap.

verb (caps, capping, capped)

1》 put or form a lid or cover on.

    ↘put a cap on (a tooth).

2》 provide a fitting climax or conclusion to.

    ↘follow or reply to (a story or remark) with a better one.

3》 place a limit on (prices, expenditure, etc.).

4》 (be capped) Brit. be chosen as a member of a sports team, especially a national one.

5》 Scottish & NZ confer a university degree on.

Phrases

cap in hand (N. Amer. hat in hand) humbly asking for a favour.

cap of liberty a conical cap given to Roman slaves when they were freed, later used as a republican symbol.

cap of maintenance Brit. a cap or hat worn or carried as a symbol of official dignity.

set one's cap at (or US for) dated (of a woman) try to attract (a particular man) as a suitor.

to cap it all as the final unfortunate incident in a long series.

Derivatives

capful noun (plural capfuls).

capper noun

Origin

OE cæppe 'hood', from late L. cappa, perh. from L. caput 'head'.

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cap²

noun Finance short for capitalization (see capitalize): [as modifier] small-cap stocks.