cap1

[kap] /kæp/
noun
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.
Mathematics. the symbol ∩, used to indicate the intersection of two sets.
Compare 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.
Mycology. the pileus of a mushroom.
11.
Botany, 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.
British 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.
Nautical. 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.
Architecture. a capital.
19.
Carpentry. a metal plate placed over the iron of a plane to break the shavings as they rise.
20.
Fox Hunting. capping fee.
21.
Chiefly British Slang. a contraceptive diaphragm.
verb (used with object), capped, capping.
22.
to provide or cover with or as if with a cap.
23.
to complete.
24.
follow up with something as good or better; surpass; outdo:
to cap one joke with another.
25.
to serve as a cap, covering, or top to; overlie.
26.
to put a maximum limit on (prices, wages, spending, etc.).
27.
British Sports. to select (a player) for a representative team.
verb (used without object), capped, capping.
28.
Fox Hunting. to hunt with a hunting club of which one is not a member, on payment of a capping fee.
Idioms
29.
cap in hand, humbly; in supplication:
He went to his father cap in hand and begged his forgiveness.
30.
set one's cap for, to pursue as being a potential mate.
Origin
before 1000; Middle English cappe, Old English cæppe < Late Latin cappa hooded cloak, cap; cf. cape
Related forms
capless, adjective
British Dictionary definitions for set one's cap for

cap

/kæp/
noun
1.
a covering for the head, esp a small close-fitting one made of cloth or knitted
2.
such a covering serving to identify the wearer's rank, occupation, etc: a nurse's cap
3.
something that protects or covers, esp a small lid or cover: lens cap
4.
an uppermost surface or part: the cap of a wave
5.
  1. See percussion cap
  2. a small amount of explosive enclosed in paper and used in a toy gun
6.
(sport, mainly Brit)
  1. an emblematic hat or beret given to someone chosen for a representative team: he has won three England caps
  2. a player chosen for such a team
7.
the upper part of a pedestal in a classical order
8.
the roof of a windmill, sometimes in the form of a dome
9.
(botany) the pileus of a mushroom or toadstool
10.
(hunting)
  1. money contributed to the funds of a hunt by a follower who is neither a subscriber nor a farmer, in return for a day's hunting
  2. a collection taken at a meet of hounds, esp for a charity
11.
(anatomy)
  1. the natural enamel covering a tooth
  2. an artificial protective covering for a tooth
12.
See Dutch cap (sense 2)
13.
an upper financial limit
14.
a mortarboard when worn with a gown at an academic ceremony (esp in the phrase cap and gown)
15.
(meteorol)
  1. the cloud covering the peak of a mountain
  2. the transient top of detached clouds above an increasing cumulus
16.
cap in hand, humbly, as when asking a favour
17.
(Brit) if the cap fits, the allusion or criticism seems to be appropriate to a particular person
18.
set one's cap for, set one's cap at, (of a woman) to be determined to win as a husband or lover
verb (transitive) caps, capping, capped
19.
to cover, as with a cap: snow capped the mountain tops
20.
(informal) to outdo; excel: your story caps them all, to cap an anecdote
21.
to cap it all, to provide the finishing touch: we had sun, surf, cheap wine, and to cap it all a free car
22.
(sport, Brit) to select (a player) for a representative team: he was capped 30 times by Scotland
23.
to seal off (an oil or gas well)
24.
to impose an upper limit on the level of increase of (a tax, such as the council tax): rate-capping
25.
(hunting) to ask (hunt followers) for a cap
26.
(mainly Scot & NZ) to award a degree to
Derived Forms
capper, noun
Word Origin
Old English cæppe, from Late Latin cappa hood, perhaps from Latin caput head

CAP

abbreviation
1.
Common Agricultural Policy: (in the EU) the system for supporting farm incomes by maintaining agricultural prices at agreed levels
Word Origin and History for set one's cap for

cap

n.

late Old English cæppe "hood, head-covering, cape," from Late Latin cappa "a cape, hooded cloak" (source of Spanish capa, Old North French cape, French chape), possibly a shortened from capitulare "headdress," from Latin caput "head" (see head (n.)).

Meaning "women's head covering" is early 13c. in English; extended to men late 14c. Figurative thinking cap is from 1839 (considering cap is 1650s). Of cap-like coverings on the ends of anything (e.g. hub-cap) from mid-15c. Meaning "contraceptive device" is first recorded 1916. That of "cap-shaped piece of copper lined with gunpowder and used to ignite a firearm" is c.1826; extended to paper version used in toy pistols, 1872 (cap-pistol is from 1879).

The Late Latin word apparently originally meant "a woman's head-covering," but the sense was transferred to "hood of a cloak," then to "cloak" itself, though the various senses co-existed. Old English took in two forms of the Late Latin word, one meaning "head-covering," the other "ecclesiastical dress" (see cape (n.1)). In most Romance languages, a diminutive of Late Latin cappa has become the usual word for "head-covering" (e.g. French chapeau).

v.

c.1400, "to put a cap on," from cap (n.). Meaning "cover as with s cap" is from c.1600. Figurative sense of "go one better" is from 1580s. Related: Capped; capping.

set one's cap for in Medicine

cap (kāp)
n.
A protective cover or seal, especially one that closes off an end or a tip and that resembles a close-fitting head covering.

CAP abbr.
catabolite gene activator protein

Slang definitions & phrases for set one's cap for

cap 1

noun
  1. Captain
  2. Mister; sir •Used in direct address to a man one wishes to flatter (1840s+)

cap 2

noun

A capsule of narcotics: I didn't have the money to buy a cap with (1920s+ Narcotics)

verb
  1. To buy narcotics; cop: I capped me some more pot (1950s+ Narcotics)
  2. To open or use a capsule of narcotics; bust a cap (1950s+ Narcotics)
Related Terms

bust caps


cap 3

verb
  1. To best or outdo, esp with a funnier joke, stranger story, etc; top: She told a lie that capped mine (1940s+)
  2. To shoot; kill by shooting •Compare bust a cap: I should just cap you right now/ I think I'm going to cap myself today (1960s+)
  3. CAP ON someone (1980s+ Teenagers)
Related Terms

applejack cap, gimme cap

[all in one way or another fr cap, ''head covering'']


cap 4

noun

Fellatio; head: Give Jerry some cap (1960s+)


Related Abbreviations for set one's cap for

cap

capsule

CAP

  1. Capricorn
  2. Capricornus (constellation)
  3. Civil Air Patrol
  4. carcinoma of prostate
  5. community-acquired pneumonia
  6. computer-aided publishing
Idioms and Phrases with set one's cap for

set one's cap for

Pursue someone romantically, as in We all thought Anne had set her cap for Joe, but we were wrong. In the 1700s this term, which may have alluded to donning one's best headgear, was applied to members of either sex, but by the early 1800s it generally described a woman chasing a man. It is probably obsolescent.

cap

also see:
also see under:
hat