Heading
Caper-Juice, subs. (American).—Whiskey. [From caper, a freak or antic + juice.] For synonyms, see Drinks.
1888. Portland Transcript, 29 Feb.
Say, fellers, let's take a leetle mo' uv the caper juice. [They drink again. Sam and the girl exchange affectionate glances.]
Caper-Merchant, subs. (old).—A
dancing master. [From caper,
a frolicsome leap or step, +
merchant.] Also called a hop-merchant
(q.v. for synonyms).
1785. Grose, Dictionary of the Vulgar
Tongue. [Quoted as above.]
Capital, To work capital, verbal
phr. (old).—To commit an
offence punishable with death.
1878. Charles Hindley, Life and
Times of James Catnach. And though I don't work capital, And do not weigh my weight, sirs, Who knows but that in time I shall.
Capivi or Capivvy (vulgar).—Balsam
copaiba, a popular remedy for
clap.
To cry capivvy (sporting).—To be persecuted to the death, or very near it. In Handley Cross [1843] Mr. Jorrocks promises to make the foxes cry capivvy.
Capon, subs. (popular).—Primarily,
a red herring; but applied to
other kinds of fish, herrings now
receiving the distinctive cognomen
of Yarmouth capons. The
usage is a very old one, and it is
notable that Glasgow Magistrate,
another name for a red
herring, was formerly Glasgow
capon.
c. 1640. J. Smyth, Hundred of
Berkeley (1885), 319. The Sole wee call our Seuverne Capon. [m.]
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew.
Yarmouth capon a Red Herring.
1719. Ramsey, Hamilton, II., iii. A
Glasgow capon and a fadge ye thought a feast. [m.]
1812. W. Tennant, Anster F., iv.
Each to his jaws A good Crail's capon holds [note 'a dried haddock']. [m.]
Cappadochio, Caperdochy, or
Caperdewsie, subs. (old).—Nares
says 'a cant term for a
prison.' [The same authority suggests
that it is a corruption of
Cappadocia: 'The king of Cappadocia,
says Horace, was rich
in slaves, but had little money.']
For synonyms, see Cage.
1600. Heywood, I. Edw. IV. My
son's in Dybell here, in Caperdochy, i' the gaol.
1607. W. S., Puritan, in Supp.
Shaks., II., 510 (n.). How captain Idle? my old aunt's son, my dear kinsman, in Cappadochio?
1663. Butler, Hudibras, I., ii., 832.
I here engage myself to loose ye, and free your heels from caperdewsie.
Capper, subs. (American thieves').—1.
A confederate; at cards
one who makes false bids in order
to encourage a genuine player.
[See Cap, verb, sense 1.]
1871. De Vere, Americanisms,
p. 319. In the West a striker is not only a shoulder-hitter, as might be suspected, but a runner for gambling establishments, who must be as ready to strike down a complaining victim as to ensnare an unsuspecting stranger. . . . Cappers they are called, when the game is the famous Three-Card Monte.
1881. New York Slang Dictionary.
Gamblers are called knights of the green cloth, and their lieutenants, who are sent out after greenhorns, are called decoys, cappers, and steerers.
2. (auctioneers').—A dummy bidder whose function is either to start the bidding or to run up the price of articles for sale.
Capper-Clawing.—See Clapper-clawing.
