cut capers

Idioms  

1. Also, cut a caper. Frolic or romp, as in The children cut capers in the pile of raked leaves. The noun caper comes from the Latin for “goat,” and the allusion is to act in the manner of a young goat clumsily frolicking about. The expression was first recorded in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night (1:3): “Faith, I can cut a caper.”

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Example Sentences

On this broad platform the infant publication immediately began to cut capers.

From Time Magazine Archive

Some bartenders in Yokohama and Kobe dress up on Christmas night like Santa Claus, serve drinks, cut capers.

From Time Magazine Archive

Minced parsley, lemon-juice, or finely cut capers may be added to the sauce.

From The Myrtle Reed Cook Book by Reed, Myrtle

While I don’t congratulate anybody on getting pinched, I’m glad that your friends, if they must cut capers, have you to help them out.

From Lonesome Town by Dorrance, Ethel

He felt so light-hearted and joyous that he would have willingly thrown his square hat in the air, and cut capers on the pavement.

From Mrs. Thompson A Novel by Maxwell, W. B. (William Babington)

Related Words

• cavort
• frolic
• gambol
• prance