cap

cap ► NOUN 1) a soft, flat hat without a brim and usually with a peak. 2) a soft, close-fitting head covering worn for a particular purpose. 3) a protective lid or cover for a bottle, pen, etc. 4) Dentistry an artificial protective covering for a tooth. 5) an upper limit imposed on spending or borrowing. 6) chiefly Brit. a cap awarded to members of a sports team. 7) (also Dutch cap) Brit. informal a contraceptive diaphragm. 8) the broad upper part of a mushroom or toadstool. 9) short for PERCUSSION CAP(Cf. ↑percussion cap).

► VERB (capped, capping) 1) put or form a cap, lid, or cover on. 2) provide a fitting climax or conclusion to. 3) place a limit on (prices, expenditure, etc.). 4) (be capped) chiefly Brit. be chosen as a member of a sports team. 6) Scottish & NZ confer a university degree on.

● cap in hand — Cf. ↑cap in hand

● set one's cap at — Cf. ↑set one's cap at

● to cap it all — Cf. ↑to cap it all

DERIVATIVES capful noun capper noun.

ORIGIN Latin cappa, perhaps from caput 'head' .