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 ]