cap 1
— capless , adj.
/kap/ , n. , v. , capped, capping .
n.
1. a close-fitting covering for the head, usually of soft supple material and having no visor or brim.
2. a brimless head covering with a visor, as a baseball cap.
3. mobcap.
4. a headdress denoting rank, occupation, religious order, or the like: a nurse's cap.
5. mortarboard (def. 2).
6. Math. the symbol (like an inverted U), used to indicate the intersection of two sets. Cf. intersection (def. 3a).
7. anything resembling or suggestive of a covering for the head in shape, use, or position: a cap on a bottle.
8. summit; top; acme.
9. a maximum limit, as one set by law or agreement on prices, wages, spending, etc., during a certain period of time; ceiling: a 9 percent cap on pay increases for this year.
10. Mycol. the pileus of a mushroom.
11. Bot. calyptra (def. 1).
12. Mining. a short, horizontal beam at the top of a prop for supporting part of a roof.
13. a percussion cap.
14. Brit. Sports. a selection for a representative team, usually for a national squad.
15. a noise-making device for toy pistols, made of a small quantity of explosive wrapped in paper or other thin material.
16. Naut. a fitting of metal placed over the head of a spar, as a mast or bowsprit, and having a collar for securing an additional spar.
17. a new tread applied to a worn pneumatic tire.
18. Archit. a capital.
19. Carpentry. a metal plate placed over the iron of a plane to break the shavings as they rise.
20. Fox Hunting. See capping fee .
21. Chiefly Brit. Slang. a contraceptive diaphragm.
22. cap in hand , humbly; in supplication: He went to his father cap in hand and begged his forgiveness.
23. set one's cap for , to pursue as being a potential mate.
v.t.
24. to provide or cover with or as if with a cap.
25. to complete.
26. follow up with something as good or better; surpass; outdo: to cap one joke with another.
27. to serve as a cap, covering, or top to; overlie.
28. to put a maximum limit on (prices, wages, spending, etc.).
29. Brit. Sports. to select (a player) for a representative team.
v.i.
30. Fox Hunting. to hunt with a hunting club of which one is not a member, on payment of a capping fee.
[ bef. 1000; ME cappe, OE caeppe cappa hooded cloak, cap; cf. CAPE ]
cap 2
/kap/ , n. , v. , capped, capping .
n.
1. a capital letter.
2. Usually, caps . uppercase: Please set the underlined in caps.
v.t.
3. to write or print in capital letters, or make an initial letter a capital; capitalize.
[ 1895-1900; by shortening ]
cap 3
/kap/ , n. Slang.
a capsule, esp. of a narcotic drug.
[ by shortening of CAPSULE ]