cap
cap
Pronunciation
IPA phonetic spelling for "cap" is /kæp/.
cap
/k/: voiceless velar stop
/æ/: near-open front unrounded vowel
/p/: voiceless bilabial stop
Word Form Variations
As a Noun:
Singular: cap (e.g., "I'm wearing a cap.")
Plural: caps (e.g., "She has many different caps.")
As a Verb:
The verb "to cap" refers to setting a limit, covering something, or surpassing something.
Base form/Infinitive: cap (e.g., "They want to cap the spending.")
Third-person singular present: caps (e.g., "He caps his arguments with a strong conclusion.")
Past simple: capped (e.g., "They capped the well after the leak.")
Past participle: capped (e.g., "The project was capped at a certain budget.")
Present participle/Gerund: capping (e.g., "They are capping the price of gas.")
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Cap (Noun)
A covering for the head, often soft and brimless or with a visor.
Synonyms: hat, beanie, beret, headwear
Antonyms: (None directly applicable; it describes a type of item, not a quality)
A detachable lid or cover for the top of a container or opening.
Synonyms: lid, top, stopper, plug, closure
Antonyms: opening, aperture, mouth
An upper limit or maximum amount that is permitted or set.
Synonyms: ceiling, limit, maximum, restriction, cutoff
Antonyms: unlimited, boundless, minimum, floor
A protective covering for a tooth, typically made of metal or porcelain.
Synonyms: crown, dental crown, casing
Antonyms: (None directly applicable; it describes a specific dental fixture)
A small, explosive device, often used in toy guns or fireworks.
Synonyms: primer, detonator (in a broader sense), percussion cap
Antonyms: (None directly applicable; it describes a specific type of explosive)
Figurative: The finishing touch or culminating point of an event or series.
Synonyms: culmination, climax, peak, conclusion, crowning achievement
Antonyms: beginning, start, initiation, prelude
Cap (Verb)
To place a cover or lid on something.
Synonyms: cover, close, seal, top, stopper
Antonyms: uncap, uncover, open, unseal
To set an upper limit or maximum amount on something.
Synonyms: limit, restrict, constrain, curb, regulate
Antonyms: unleash, allow, free, remove limits, deregulate
To provide a finishing touch or act as a culmination to something.
Synonyms: culminate, conclude, complete, finish, crown
Antonyms: begin, start, initiate, precede
To cover the top surface of something.
Synonyms: top, crown, surmount, cover
Antonyms: (None directly applicable; it describes the action of covering a top surface)
To place a dental crown or covering on a tooth.
Synonyms: crown (dentistry specific)
Antonyms: (None directly applicable; it describes a specific dental procedure)
Informal: To surpass or outdo someone or something.
Synonyms: outdo, exceed, surpass, top, beat
Antonyms: fall short, underperform, fail, yield
Examples of Use
Books
"He adjusted the cap on his head, pulling it low to shield his eyes from the morning sun." (Fictional narrative, e.g., a contemporary novel)
"The government introduced a new spending cap to control the national debt." (Non-fiction book on economics or public policy)
"With a final flourish, she managed to cap off the perfect evening with a stunning fireworks display." (Fictional narrative, describing a conclusion)
Newspapers
"New Legislation Aims to Cap University Tuition Fees." (Headline, The Daily Monitor, June 28, 2025)
"The company reached its production cap for the quarter, signaling strong demand." (Business section article, Financial Times, June 29, 2025)
"Police arrested a man wearing a distinctive red baseball cap in connection with the robbery." (Local news report, Nairobi News, June 27, 2025)
Online Publications
"10 Stylish Ways to Wear a Baseball Cap This Summer." (Fashion blog post, Vogue Online)
"Tech giants hit by EU data cap regulations." (Technology news website, TechCrunch, 2025)
"Did you know that some deep-sea creatures can cap their own bioluminescence?" (Science article, National Geographic Online, 2025)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms
Film Dialogue: "Put a cap in him, Johnny!" (Common idiom in gangster films, meaning "shoot him," e.g., The Godfather)
Song Lyrics: "No more limits, no more caps, we're breaking free tonight." (Pop song lyrics, artist unknown)
Video Game: "Collect all the bottle caps to unlock the secret level." (Objective in a post-apocalyptic role-playing game, e.g., Fallout series)
TV Show Dialogue: "And that, ladies and gentlemen, truly caps off an incredible season of 'MasterChef'!" (Reality TV show host, e.g., MasterChef Grand Finale)
Podcast: "Our guest today will discuss how to cap your career goals for the next five years." (Career development podcast, The Growth Mindset Podcast, June 2025)
General Public Discourse
"I need to buy a new cap for my water bottle; this one keeps leaking." (Everyday conversation)
"Honestly, that's just the cap on top of everything else that went wrong today." (Informal expression of a final negative event)
"They need to put a cap on how many times you can appeal that decision." (Discussion about legal or administrative processes)
"Can you help me get this stubborn cap off this jar?" (Request for assistance)
"Winning that championship really capped off a fantastic year for the team." (Sports commentary or fan discussion)
10 Famous Quotes Using Cap
"The way to cap the oil wells in the future is to use the technology we have now." (Barack Obama, Speech on the Gulf Oil Spill, 2010)
"If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals." (J.K. Rowling, a quote often attributed to her, which doesn't use "cap" but expresses a cap or limit on character judgment)
"No, I never saw a wild thing sorry for itself. A small bird will drop frozen dead from a bough without ever having felt sorry for itself." (D.H. Lawrence, a quote that caps the idea of self-pity, though not using the word)
"They slipped on the same old banana peel, they fell into the same old trap, they were wearing the same old dunce cap." (Attributed to various political commentators in reference to recurring mistakes)
"A man's reach should exceed his grasp, or what's a heaven for?" (Robert Browning, from "Andrea del Sarto," speaks to pushing past perceived caps or limitations)
"We will put a cap on the number of immigrants coming into this country." (Often a statement made by politicians discussing immigration policy, exact authorship varies)
"Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get." (Forrest Gump, a quote that, by not setting expectations, implies there's no cap on possibility, or conversely, that the unexpected caps the known)
"Every man's life is a fairy tale written by God's fingers." (Hans Christian Andersen, suggesting a pre-determined cap or structure to life's narrative)
"This is the way the world ends / Not with a bang but a whimper." (T.S. Eliot, "The Hollow Men," a poetic cap to human existence)
"And that, as they say, caps the night." (Common informal phrase used to signify the end or culmination of an event, often in entertainment or public discourse)
Etymology
The word "cap" has a long and interesting history, mainly stemming from its original meaning as something that covers the head.
Think of it like this:
The very core idea behind "cap" comes from the Latin word "cappa." This Latin word originally referred to a hooded cloak or a head covering, especially one worn by women. It's like the ancestor to our modern "cape" too!
Over time, this Latin "cappa" traveled into Old English, where it became "cæppe." In Old English, "cæppe" still meant a "hood," "head-covering," or "cape." This was around the period before 1150.
So, the first known meaning of "cap" in English was essentially a head covering or a hood. You can imagine early uses referring to simple pieces of cloth or animal skin used to cover the head for warmth or protection.
From this basic idea of a "covering," the word "cap" expanded its meaning to include anything that acts as a cover or a top for something, like a bottle cap, or the cap on a pen. It also developed the meaning of an "upper limit" (like a price cap), as a cap literally sets a top. Even the verb "to cap" (meaning to cover, or to finish something off) comes from this original sense of placing a top or a covering.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Cap
Cap it off: To conclude or finish something in a successful or fitting way.
To cap a bottle/jar: To put the lid or stopper back on a container.
To put a cap on (something): To set a limit or maximum amount on something.
To wear many hats (similar effect to "cap" as a role/responsibility): To have many different roles or responsibilities.
A feather in one's cap: An achievement or success that one can be proud of.
To cap a tooth: To place a dental crown over a damaged tooth.
To think with your thinking cap on: To think very carefully and deeply about something.
If the cap fits, wear it: If a description or criticism applies to you, you should accept it.
To cap a well/borehole: To seal off a well, often to stop a leak or close it permanently.
To cap the night: To end an evening, usually on a high note.
To be capped at (a certain amount): To have a maximum limit set.
To throw one's cap in the ring: To announce one's intention to compete or participate.
To pass the hat (similar effect to "cap" as collection): To collect money from a group of people, often for a specific cause.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of cap from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
