~ 1
■ 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 ~.
↘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 ~ awarded to members of a sports team, especially a national team.
5》 (also Dutch ~ ) Brit. informal a contraceptive diaphragm.
6》 the broad upper part of the fruiting body of a mushroom or toadstool.
7》 short for percussion ~ .
■ verb ( ~s , ~ping , ~ped )
1》 put or form a lid or cover on.
↘put a ~ 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 ~ped ) Brit. be chosen as a member of a sports team, especially a national one.
5》 Scottish & NZ confer a university degree on.
Phrases
~ in hand ( N. Amer. hat in hand ) humbly asking for a favour.
~ of liberty a conical ~ given to Roman slaves when they were freed, later used as a republican symbol.
~ of maintenance Brit. a ~ or hat worn or carried as a symbol of official dignity.
set one's ~ at (or US for ) dated (of a woman) try to attract (a particular man) as a suitor.
to ~ it all as the final unfortunate incident in a long series.
Derivatives
~ful noun ( plural ~fuls ).
~per noun
Origin
OE cæppe 'hood', from late L. ~pa , perh. from L. ~ut 'head'.
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~ 2
■ noun Finance short for ~italization (see ~italize ): [as modifier ] small-~ stocks.