capitulate
Americanverb (used without object)
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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capitulatesimple
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capitulatessimple
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have capitulatedperfect
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has capitulatedperfect
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are capitulatingprogressive
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am capitulatingprogressive
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is capitulatingprogressive
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have been capitulatingperfect progressive
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has been capitulatingperfect progressive
Past
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capitulatedsimple
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had capitulatedperfect
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was capitulatingprogressive
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were capitulatingprogressive
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had been capitulatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of capitulate
First recorded in 1570–80; from Medieval Latin capitulātus (past participle of capitulāre “to draw up in sections”), equivalent to capitul(um) “section,” literally, “small head” + -ātus ; see origin at capitulum, chapter ( def. ), -ate 1
Explanation
To capitulate means to give in to something. If your parents refuse to raise your allowance, you might try to argue until they capitulate. Good luck! To capitulate is to surrender outright or to give in under certain terms. Either way, you’re agreeing to something you don’t really want. The word comes from the Latin roots caput ("head") and capitulum ("headings"), a reference to the official agreement drawn up when someone formally surrendered.
Vocabulary lists containing capitulate
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Capitulate at home to Olympiakos, stuff Manchester United a few days later.
From The Guardian • Dec. 13, 2015
Capitulate at home to Olympiakos, stuff Manchester United a few days later.
From The Guardian • Dec. 13, 2015
Well, Sir George, Dee ye hold in the same Mind? or wou'd you Capitulate?
From The Busie Body by Byrd, Jess
Capitulate, kap-it′ūl-āt, v.i. to treat: to draw up terms of agreement: to yield or surrender on certain conditions or heads.—ns.
From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 1 of 4: A-D) by Various
Is it fitt That mercenary Soldiers, that for pay Give up their liberties and are sworne t'expose Their lyves and fortunes to all dangers, should Capitulate with their Lords?
From A Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 2 by Bullen, A. H. (Arthur Henry)
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
