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• cap
  cap

  noun

  a close-fitting covering for the head, usually of soft supple material and having no visor or brim.
• CAP
  CAP

  abbreviation

  Civil Air Patrol.
• cap.
  cap.

  abbreviation

  (in prescriptions) let the patient take.

cap

¹ American  

[kap] / kæp /

noun

1. a close-fitting covering for the head, usually of soft supple material and having no visor or brim.

2. a brimless head covering with a visor, such as a baseball cap.

3. a head covering that denotes rank, occupation, religious order, or the like.

   a nurse's cap.

4. mortarboard.

5. anything that resembles or suggests a covering for the head in shape, use, or position.

   Please replace the cap on the toothpaste tube when finished using it.

6. a mobcap.

7. a maximum limit, such as one that is set by law or agreement on prices, wages, spending, etc., during a certain period of time; ceiling.

   We've had to set a 3 percent cap on pay increases for this year.

8. summit; top; apex; acme.

9. Mycology. the pileus, or horizontal portion, of a mushroom.

10. Botany. calyptra.

11. Mathematics. the symbol ∩, used to indicate the intersection of two sets.

12. Mining. a short, horizontal beam at the top of a prop for supporting part of a roof.

13. a percussion cap.

14. a noise-making device for toy pistols that is made of a small quantity of explosive wrapped in paper or other thin material.

15. Chiefly British an instance of playing in an international game or match as part of a national team.

    The 17-year-old has already got her first cap for Wales.

16. Slang. lying talk; exaggeration.

    No way did you get two grand for that old wreck of a car—that’s cap.

    I see movie stars in this bar all the time, no cap.

17. Chiefly British Slang. a contraceptive diaphragm.

18. Nautical. a fitting of metal placed over the head of a spar, as a mast or bowsprit, and having a collar for securing an additional spar.

19. a new tread that is applied to a worn tire.

20. Architecture. capital.

21. Carpentry. a metal plate placed over the iron of a plane to break the shavings as they rise.

22. Fox Hunting. capping fee.

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verb (used with object)

capped, capping

1. to close or cover with or as if with a cap.

   Cap the jug of bleach tightly after each use.

2. to complete (often used withoff ).

   We capped our dinner with a shared slice of chocolate cake.

   A talent night involving all the campers capped off the week.

3. follow up with something as good or better; surpass; outdo.

   to cap one joke with another.

4. to serve as a cap, covering, or top to; overlie.

   Snow capped the distant peaks.

5. to put a maximum limit on (prices, wages, spending, etc.).

   We’ve capped the contractor’s hours at 75 per month.

6. Chiefly British (of a national team) to play (a chosen player) in an international game or match (used in the passive).

   He has been capped for Brazil.

   She was capped by England twice.

verb (used without object)

capped, capping

1. Slang. to lie or exaggerate.

   Don't cap—no way that's your car.

2. Chiefly British to play in an international game or match as part of a national team.

   She capped for England twice.

3. Fox Hunting. to hunt with a hunting club of which one is not a member, on payment of a capping fee.

idioms

1. set one's cap for,

   1. to pursue as a potential mate.

      He set his cap for the beautiful dancer.

   2. to have as a goal or destination.

      She had already set her cap for a career in politics.

      Setting his cap for the big city, he packed his things and left.

2. cap in hand, humbly; in supplication.

   He went to his father cap in hand and begged his forgiveness.

cap ² American  

[kap] / kæp /

noun

1. a capital letter.

2. Usually caps uppercase.

   Please set the underlined in caps.

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verb (used with object)

capped, capping

1. to write or print in capital letters, or make an initial letter a capital; capitalize.

cap ³ American  

[kap] / kæp /

noun

Slang.

1. a capsule, especially of a narcotic drug.

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CAP ⁴ American  

Also C.A.P.

abbreviation

1. Civil Air Patrol.

2. Common Agricultural Policy: a coordinated system established in 1960 by the European Economic Community for stabilizing prices of farm products of its member countries.

3. computer-aided publishing.

4. Stock Exchange. convertible adjustable preferred (stock).

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cap. ⁵ American  

abbreviation

1. (in prescriptions) let the patient take.

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cap. ⁶ American  

abbreviation

1. chapter.

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cap. ⁷ American  

abbreviation

1. capacity.

2. capital.

3. capitalize.

4. capitalized.

5. capital letter.

6. foolscap.

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cap ¹ British  

/ kæp /

noun

1. a covering for the head, esp a small close-fitting one made of cloth or knitted

2. such a covering serving to identify the wearer's rank, occupation, etc

   a nurse's cap

3. something that protects or covers, esp a small lid or cover

   lens cap

4. an uppermost surface or part

   the cap of a wave

5. 1. See percussion cap

   2. a small amount of explosive enclosed in paper and used in a toy gun

6. sport

   1. an emblematic hat or beret given to someone chosen for a representative team

      he has won three England caps

   2. a player chosen for such a team

7. the upper part of a pedestal in a classical order

8. the roof of a windmill, sometimes in the form of a dome

9. botany the pileus of a mushroom or toadstool

10. hunting

    1. money contributed to the funds of a hunt by a follower who is neither a subscriber nor a farmer, in return for a day's hunting

    2. a collection taken at a meet of hounds, esp for a charity

11. anatomy

    1. the natural enamel covering a tooth

    2. an artificial protective covering for a tooth

12. See Dutch cap

13. an upper financial limit

14. a mortarboard when worn with a gown at an academic ceremony (esp in the phrase cap and gown )

15. meteorol

    1. the cloud covering the peak of a mountain

    2. the transient top of detached clouds above an increasing cumulus

16. humbly, as when asking a favour

17. the allusion or criticism seems to be appropriate to a particular person

18. (of a woman) to be determined to win as a husband or lover

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verb

1. to cover, as with a cap

   snow capped the mountain tops

2. informal to outdo; excel

   your story caps them all

   to cap an anecdote

3. to provide the finishing touch

   we had sun, surf, cheap wine, and to cap it all a free car

4. sport to select (a player) for a representative team

   he was capped 30 times by Scotland

5. to seal off (an oil or gas well)

6. to impose an upper limit on the level of increase of (a tax, such as the council tax)

   rate-capping

7. hunting to ask (hunt followers) for a cap

8. to award a degree to

cap. ² British  

abbreviation

1. capital

2. capitalize

3. capitalization

4. capital letter

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CAP ³ British  

abbreviation

1. Common Agricultural Policy: (in the EU) the system for supporting farm incomes by maintaining agricultural prices at agreed levels

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cap More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing cap

• feather in one's cap
• hat
• hat (cap) in hand
• if the shoe (cap) fits, wear it
• put on one's thinking cap
• set one's cap for

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Other Word Forms

• capper
  noun
• capless
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of cap¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English cappe “headdress, hat, cap,” Old English cæppe “hood, cape, cope,” from Late Latin cappa “hooded cloak, cap”; cf. cape ¹

Origin of cap²

First recorded in 1895–1900; by shortening

Origin of cap³

First recorded in 1940–45; by shortening of capsule

Origin of cap.⁵

From the Latin word capiat

Origin of cap.⁶

From Latin capitulum “small head, capital of a column, cross beam” or Latin caput “head, to, summit, person”

Explanation

A cap is a hat that fits snugly on your head. You might wear a bathing cap when you swim, to keep your hair dry. Many caps don't have brims, while hats often do. You can even describe someone's hair using the word cap: "She has a glossy cap of dark hair." Another kind of cap is a lid: "Put the cap back on the ginger ale or it'll go flat!" And to cap is to limit, as when a school caps the number of students at 500. The root is the Latin word caput, or "head."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cap CAP cap. capped capping

The public company’s market cap is $3.3 billion, but it could be worth far more to a private buyer.

From Barron's ● Sep. 11, 2026

The seizures cap a series of swift Houthi gains.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026

Despite the state’s bigger bet on the industry — and this summer’s fight over the cap — L.A.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 10, 2026

Government market interventions this summer in the U.S., to cap long-term interest rates, and in Japan, to halt its currency’s decline, have given way to a stronger yen and higher Treasury yields.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 9, 2026

Colin quietly removes his cap and runs his fingers through his hair.

From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin

A new report by CAP suggests Dean's experience reflects a growing crisis facing households across Yorkshire.

From BBC ● May 26, 2026

Capgemini CAP -4.37%decrease; red down pointing triangle said it expects artificial intelligence-related demand to fuel growth in 2026, after AI services lifted orders in last year’s final quarter.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 13, 2026

Such topicality is what drew Edgar Miramontes, leader of CAP UCLA, to the show, despite his admittance to being largely unfamiliar with the world of video games.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 10, 2026

But this week, CAP said that he would no longer serve as a fellow there.

From Salon ● Nov. 19, 2025

CAP Rain had the pickup, so that left me on foot.

From "Schooled" by Gordon Korman

A person Torre identified as an employee of Aspiration’s finance department, his face and voice obscured, recalled being told of the Leonard deal: “It was to circumvent the salary cap. LOL.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2025

He added: "It is a very vital test for the cost cap. And if we don't pass that test then it's probably game over, because the implications are huge."

From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2022

"I think that that is why it justifies a measure, a cap. We're in exceptional circumstances."

From Reuters ● Mar. 9, 2022

“We have a Stanley Cup-winning roster. Our challenge to maintaining that roster is the salary cap. We’re going to have to get creative.”

From Seattle Times ● Jul. 13, 2021

“A standing cat with a baseball cap. I like it. I like it very much.”

From "Crenshaw" by Katherine Applegate

Purdy capped the drive by lofting a two-yard touchdown pass to Mike Evans for a 17-7 edge.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026

However, the charge is capped at five nights.

From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2026

The EU's climate monitor said Thursday that August was the hottest single month ever recorded globally, with ocean temperatures also reaching unprecedented highs as western Europe capped its warmest summer.

From Barron's ● Sep. 10, 2026

Tulloch’s hiring was a coup for Meta and capped a frantic recruiting spree last summer, when Meta threw money at researchers to try to catch up in the race to build artificial intelligence.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026

I moved through cam- phorweed and wild azalea, stepping over fire-ant mounds and swinging the smoker while he lifted the lids off the hives and peered inside looking for capped frames.

From "The Secret Life of Bees" by Sue Monk Kidd

Nothing stops a parent from restricting apps, capping screen time or banning phones from bedrooms.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026

He said: "We believe that a cap on the cost of branded items and school uniform is the best way forward, rather than just capping the number of items."

From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026

This week he signed into law a bill reducing taxes on diesel and capping commercial markups on both diesel and petrol, a bid to keep energy costs in check.

From Barron's ● Aug. 6, 2026

As Juliette Cubanski of KFF explained, the demonstration worked by reducing the base beneficiary premium for Part D and capping the yearly increase.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026

But the infuriated Strauss dismissed Lawrence’s plea of illness and delivered a vicious tongue-lashing, capping it bluntly with an accusation of cowardice.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

Related Words

• beat
• clinch
• complete
• cover
• crown
• eclipse
• exceed
• finish
• surpass
• wrap up