Heading
2. (old).—The proceeds of an improvised collection. [Cf., 'to send round the cap or hat.']
1851. Eureka; Sequel Ld. Russell's Post Bag, 21. What amount of cap is realised out of an average field? [m.]
3. (Westminster School).—The amount of the collection at Play and Election dinners. [From the College cap being passed round on the last night of Play for contributions. Cf., 'to send round the cap.']
Verb (thieves').—1. To stand by a friend; to take part in any undertaking; to lend a hand. Grose has 'to take one's oath.'
1785. Grose, Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue. I will cap downright; I will swear home.
2. (public schools' and University).—To take off or touch one's hat in salutation; also to cap to and to cap it.
1593. H. Smith, Serm. (1871) I., 203. How would they cap me were I in velvets. [m.]
1803. Gradus ad Cantabrigiam p. 23. s.v. bore. Other bores are to attend a sermon at St. Mary's on Sunday . . . to cap a fellow.
Cap one's lucky, verbal phr.
(American thieves').—To run
away. For synonyms, see Amputate.
Cap or cast one's skin, verbal
phr. (thieves').—To strip naked.
For synonyms, see Peel.
To set one's cap at, phr. (colloquial).—To set oneself to gain the affections. Said only of women.
1773. Graves, Spiritual Quixote, bk. III., ch. xi. I know several young ladies who would be very happy in such an opportunity of setting their caps at him.
1773. O. Goldsmith, She Stoops to Conquer, Act i., Sc. 1. 'Well, if he refuses . . . I'll only break my glass for its flattery, set my cap to some newer fashion, and look out for some less difficult admirer.
1846. Thackeray, V. Fair, ch. iii. The wily old fellow said to his son, 'Have a care, Joe; that girl is setting her cap at you.'
To cap a quotation, anecdote, proverb, &c., phr. (colloquial).—To fit with a second from the same, or another, author; to 'go one better' in the way of anecdote or legend.
1584. Peele, Arraignm. Paris, iv., ii. (1829) 48. Sh'ath capt his answer in the cue. [m.]
1856. Vaughan, Mystics (1860) I., i. v. Now you come to Shakspeare, I must cap your quotation with another. [m.]
To pull caps, phr. (colloquial).—To wrangle in an unseemly way.—Said only of women.
1763. Colman, Deuce is in Him, I., in wks. (1777) IV., 120. A man that half the women in town would pull caps for.
1771. Smollett, Humphry Clinker, line 19. At length, they fairly proceeded to pulling caps, and everything seemed to presage a general battle.
17(?). Wolcot, P. Pindar, p. 140. Behold our lofty duchesses pull caps, And give each other's reputation raps, As freely as the drabs of Drury's school.
1825. Scott, St. Ronan's Well, ch. vii. Well, dearest Rachel, we will not pull caps about this man.
Cape Cod Turkey, subs. phr.
(American).—A salted cod fish,
another name for which is
marble-head turkey. Cf.,
Billingsgate pheasant, Yarmouth
capon, and Albany
beef.
1865. C. Nordhoff, 1 May (in letter). A salted cod fish is known in American ships as a cape cod turkey.
