‖ [ It. See Chapel. ] (Mus.) (a) In church or chapel style; -- said of compositions sung in the old church style, without instrumental accompaniment; as, a mass a capella, i. e., a mass purely vocal. (b) A time indication, equivalent to alla breve. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Pref. a- not + capsular. ] (Bot.) Having no capsule. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖ [ L., for catching. ] A phrase used adjectively sometimes of meretricious attempts to catch or win popular favor. [ 1913 Webster ]

. (Horol.) (a) The common recoil escapement. (b) A variety of the lever escapement with a wide impulse pin. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. [ Acronym: American Society of Composers, Authors and Puplishers. ] 1. the American Society of Cinematographers. Syn. -- American Society of Composers, Authors and Puplishers [ PJC ]

n. 1. 1 a natural family containing only one species of frog: the tailed frog.
Syn. -- family Ascaphidae. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. 1. 1 the type genus of the Ascaphidae; in some classifications included in the family Leiopelmatidae.
Syn. -- genus Ascaphus. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. navigable deep diving vessel for underwater exploration.
Syn. -- bathyscape. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

. (Bot.) A deciduous plant of warm climates, generally with fleshy leaves and flowers of a yellow or whitish yellow color, of the genus Zygophyllum. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Pref. bi- + capsular: cf. F. bicapsulaire. ] (Bot.) Having two capsules; as, a bicapsular pericarp. [ 1913 Webster ]

(Bot.) A plant of the genus Mitella; miterwort. Longfellow. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. (Zool.) (a) A small European song bird (Sylvia atricapilla), with a black crown; the mock nightingale. (b) An American titmouse (Parus atricapillus); the chickadee. Also called the black-cap chickadee. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Cookery) An apple roasted till black, to be served in a dish of boiled custard. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The black raspberry. [ 1913 Webster ]

Same as black cap{ 1b }. [ PJC ]

n. 1. (Zool.) (a) The bluepoll. (b) The blue bonnet or blue titmouse. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A Scot; a Scotchman; -- so named from wearing a blue bonnet. [ Poetic ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a cap that seals a bottle. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. (Chem.) A volatile liquid, C4H9.SH, having a strong odor like that of a skunk; also called butanethiol. All three isomers, normal, sec-, and tert-butanethiol possess the skunk odor. [ PJC ]

n. [ OE. cappe, AS. cæppe, cap, cape, hood, fr. LL, cappa, capa; perhaps of Iberian origin, as Isidorus of Seville mentions it first: “Capa, quia quasi totum capiat hominem; it. capitis ornamentum.” See 3d Cape, and cf. 1st Cope. ] 1. A covering for the head; esp. (a) One usually with a visor but without a brim, for men and boys; (b) One of lace, muslin, etc., for women, or infants; (c) One used as the mark or ensign of some rank, office, or dignity, as that of a cardinal. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The top, or uppermost part; the chief. [ 1913 Webster ]

Thou art the cap of all the fools alive. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A respectful uncovering of the head. [ 1913 Webster ]

He that will give a cap and make a leg in thanks. Fuller. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Zool.) The whole top of the head of a bird from the base of the bill to the nape of the neck. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Anything resembling a cap in form, position, or use; as: (a) (Arch.) The uppermost of any assemblage of parts; as, the cap of column, door, etc.; a capital, coping, cornice, lintel, or plate. (b) Something covering the top or end of a thing for protection or ornament. (c) (Naut.) A collar of iron or wood used in joining spars, as the mast and the topmast, the bowsprit and the jib boom; also, a covering of tarred canvas at the end of a rope. (d) A percussion cap. See under Percussion. (e) (Mech.) The removable cover of a journal box. (f) (Geom.) A portion of a spherical or other convex surface. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. A large size of writing paper; as, flat cap; foolscap; legal cap. [ 1913 Webster ]

Cap of a cannon, a piece of lead laid over the vent to keep the priming dry; -- now called an apron. --
Cap in hand, obsequiously; submissively. --
Cap of liberty. See Liberty cap, under Liberty. --
Cap of maintenance, a cap of state carried before the kings of England at the coronation. It is also carried before the mayors of some cities. --
Cap money, money collected in a cap for the huntsman at the death of the fox. --
Cap paper. (a) A kind of writing paper including flat cap, foolscap, and legal cap. (b) A coarse wrapping paper used for making caps to hold commodities. --
Cap rock (Mining), The layer of rock next overlying ore, generally of barren vein material. --
Flat cap, cap See Foolscap. --
Forage cap, the cloth undress head covering of an officer of soldier. --
Legal cap, a kind of folio writing paper, made for the use of lawyers, in long narrow sheets which have the fold at the top or “narrow edge.” --
To set one's cap, to make a fool of one. (Obs.) Chaucer. --
To set one's cap for, to try to win the favor of a man with a view to marriage. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Capped p. pr. & vb. n. Capping. ] 1. To cover with a cap, or as with a cap; to provide with a cap or cover; to cover the top or end of; to place a cap upon the proper part of; as, to cap a post; to cap a gun. [ 1913 Webster ]

The bones next the joint are capped with a smooth cartilaginous substance. Derham. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To deprive of cap. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To complete; to crown; to bring to the highest point or consummation; as, to cap the climax of absurdity. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To salute by removing the cap. [ Slang. Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Tom . . . capped the proctor with the profoundest of bows. Thackeray. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To match; to mate in contest; to furnish a complement to; as, to cap text; to cap proverbs. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Now I have him under girdle I'll cap verses with him to the end of the chapter. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ In capping verses, when one quotes a verse another must cap it by quoting one beginning with the last letter of the first letter, or with the first letter of the last word, or ending with a rhyming word, or by applying any other arbitrary rule may be agreed upon. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To uncover the head respectfully. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Capabilities 1. The quality of being capable; capacity; capableness; esp. intellectual power or ability. [ 1913 Webster ]

A capability to take a thousand views of a subject. H. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Capacity of being used or improved. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ F. capable, LL. capabilis capacious, capable, fr. L. caper to take, contain. See Heave. ] 1. Possessing ability, qualification, or susceptibility; having capacity; of sufficient size or strength; as, a room capable of holding a large number; a castle capable of resisting a long assault. [ 1913 Webster ]

Concious of joy and capable of pain. Prior. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Possessing adequate power; qualified; able; fully competent; as, a capable instructor; a capable judge; a mind capable of nice investigations. [ 1913 Webster ]

More capable to discourse of battles than to give them. Motley. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Possessing legal power or capacity; as, a man capable of making a contract, or a will. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Capacious; large; comprehensive. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Capable is usually followed by of, sometimes by an infinitive.

Syn. -- Able; competent; qualified; fitted; efficient; effective; skillful. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality or state of being capable; capability; adequateness; competency. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. (Biol.) to become active so as to be able to penetrate an ovum; -- of sperm, in the female reproduction system. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Capacified ] [ L. capax, -acis, capacious + -fy. ] To quality. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The benefice he is capacified and designed for. Barrow. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. capax, -acis, fr. capere to take. See Heave. ] 1. Having capacity; able to contain much; large; roomy; spacious; extended; broad; as, a capacious vessel, room, bay, or harbor. [ 1913 Webster ]

In the capacious recesses of his mind. Bancroft. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Able or qualified to make large views of things, as in obtaining knowledge or forming designs; comprehensive; liberal. “A capacious mind.” Watts. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a capacious manner or degree; comprehensively. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality of being capacious, as of a vessel, a reservoir a bay, the mind, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. an electrical phenomenon whereby an electric charge is stored.
Syn. -- electrical capacity, capacity. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. (Electronics) a measure of the ability of a capacitor to store electrical charge; the ratio of the charge on one plate of a capacitor to the potential difference between the plates. [ PJC ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Capacitated; p. pr. & vb. n. Capacitating. ] To render capable; to enable; to qualify. [ 1913 Webster ]

By this instruction we may be capaciated to observe those errors. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. of or pertaining to capacitance. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. a device used in electronic circuits to hold electrical charge, consisting of two conducting plates separated by a nonconducting (dielectric) medium; it is characterized by its capacitance.
Syn. -- condenser, electrical condenser. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

n.; pl. Capacities [ L. capacitus, fr. capax, capacis; fr. F. capacité. See Capacious. ] 1. The power of receiving or containing; extent of room or space; passive power; -- used in reference to physical things. [ 1913 Webster ]

Had our great palace the capacity
To camp this host, we all would sup together. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

The capacity of the exhausted cylinder. Boyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The power of receiving and holding ideas, knowledge, etc.; the comprehensiveness of the mind; the receptive faculty; capability of understanding or feeling. [ 1913 Webster ]

Capacity is now properly limited to these [ the mere passive operations of the mind ]; its primary signification, which is literally room for, as well as its employment, favors this; although it can not be denied that there are examples of its usage in an active sense. Sir W. Hamilton. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Ability; power pertaining to, or resulting from, the possession of strength, wealth, or talent; possibility of being or of doing. [ 1913 Webster ]

The capacity of blessing the people. Alex. Hamilton. [ 1913 Webster ]

A cause with such capacities endued. Blackmore. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Outward condition or circumstances; occupation; profession; character; position; as, to work in the capacity of a mason or a carpenter. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Law) Legal or moral qualification, as of age, residence, character, etc., necessary for certain purposes, as for holding office, for marrying, for making contracts, wills, etc.; legal power or right; competency. [ 1913 Webster ]

Capacity for heat, the power of absorbing heat. Substances differ in the amount of heat requisite to raise them a given number of thermometric degrees, and this difference is the measure of, or depends upon, what is called their capacity for heat. See Specific heat, under Heat.

Syn. -- Ability; faculty; talent; capability; skill; efficiency; cleverness. See Ability. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. See Cap-a-pie. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖adv. [ OF. (&unr_;) cap-a-pie, from head to foot, now de pied en cap from foot to head; L. pes foot + caput head. ] From head to foot; at all points. “He was armed cap-a-pie.” Prescott. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. caparaçon, fr. Sp. caparazon a cover for a saddle, coach, etc.; capa cloak, cover (fr. LL. capa, cf. LL. caparo also fr. capa) + the term. azon. See Cap. ] 1. An ornamental covering or housing for a horse; the harness or trappings of a horse, taken collectively, especially when decorative. [ 1913 Webster ]

Their horses clothed with rich caparison. Drylen. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Gay or rich clothing. [ 1913 Webster ]

My heart groans beneath the gay caparison. Smollett. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Caparisoned pos>p. pr. & vb. n. Caparisoning. ] [ Cf. F caparaçonner. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. To cover with housings, as a horse; to harness or fit out with decorative trappings, as a horse. [ 1913 Webster ]

The steeds, caparisoned with purple, stand. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To adorn with rich dress; to dress. [ 1913 Webster ]

I am caparisoned like a man. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ Native Indian name. ] (Zool.) A large South American monkey (Lagothrix Humboldtii), with prehensile tail. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A small traveling case or bandbox; formerly, a chest. [ 1913 Webster ]

A capcase for your linen and your plate. Beau. & Fl. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. cap, fr. It. capo head, cape, fr. L. caput heat, end, point. See Chief. ] A piece or point of land, extending beyond the adjacent coast into the sea or a lake; a promontory; a headland. [ 1913 Webster ]

Cape buffalo (Zool.) a large and powerful buffalo of South Africa (Bubalus Caffer). It is said to be the most dangerous wild beast of Africa. See Buffalo, 2. --
Cape jasmine,
Cape jessamine. See Jasmine. --
Cape pigeon (Zool.), a petrel (Daptium Capense) common off the Cape of Good Hope. It is about the size of a pigeon. --
Cape wine, wine made in South Africa [ Eng. ] --
The Cape, the Cape of Good Hope, in the general sense of the southern extremity of Africa. Also used of Cape Horn, and, in New England, of Cape Cod. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. (Naut.) To head or point; to keep a course; as, the ship capes southwest by south. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. Cape, fr. F. cape; cf. LL. cappa. See Cap, and cf. 1st Cope, Chape. ] A sleeveless garment or part of a garment, hanging from the neck over the back, arms, and shoulders, but not reaching below the hips. See Cloak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ See Gape. ] To gape. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Mining) A composite stone (quartz, schorl, and hornblende) in the walls of tin and copper lodes. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) See Capelin. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. capelan, caplan. ] (Zool.) Either of two small marine fishes formerly classified in the family Salmonidæ, now within the smelt family Osmeridae: Mallotus villosus, very abundant on the coasts of Greenland, Iceland, Newfoundland, and Alaska; or Mallotus catervarius, found in the North Pacific. The Atlantic variety has been used as a bait for the cod. [ Written also capelan and caplin. ] [ 1913 Webster + PJC ]

☞ This fish, which is like a smelt, is called by the Spaniards anchova, and by the Portuguese capelina. However the anchovy used as a food is a different fish. Fisheries of U. S. (1884). [ 1913 Webster + PJC ]

‖n. [ F., fr. LL. capella. See Chapel. ] (Med.) A hood-shaped bandage for the head, the shoulder, or the stump of an amputated limb. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L., a little goat, dim. of caper a goat. ] (Asrton.) A brilliant star in the constellation Auriga. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Chaplain. ] The curate of a chapel; a chaplain. [ Obs. ] Fuller. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ G. ] (Mus.) The private orchestra or band of a prince or of a church. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. capelet. ] (Far.) A swelling, like a wen, on the point of the elbow (or the heel of the hock) of a horse, caused probably by bruises in lying down. [ 1913 Webster ]