cap

KAP/kæp/

Pluralcaps

Verbcaps, capping, capped

40 meanings of cap

Practice

1
hatnouncountable
A kind of hat, often soft with a stiff front part, or one worn for a job or at graduation.
Like a small hood that sits snugly on top of your head.
He pulled his cap down to keep the sun out of his eyes.
She wore a bright red cap to the baseball game.
Similarhat
Note
2
upper limitnouncountable
A top limit set on how much of something is allowed.
Like a ceiling that stops something from going any higher.
The city put a cap on how much landlords can raise rents.
There is a cap on the number of guests we can invite.
UsageSay put a cap on something.
Similarlimit, ceiling
Oppositefloor
Note
3
nouncountable
A cover for the top or end of something, used to protect it or make it look nice.
Like the little tip that covers the end of a shoelace.
A shiny metal cap sat on top of each fence post.
Each table leg had a rubber cap to protect the floor.
Similarcover, covering, tip
4
finish wellverbfigurativelytransitive
To end something with one last event, often a great one, sometimes a bad one.
Like adding a cherry on top to finish a dessert.
They capped the evening with a walk along the beach.
A big firework show will cap the festival.
UsageCap something with a last event. To cap it all means on top of everything.
Similarcrown, top, complete
Note
5
set a limitverbtransitive
To put a top limit on how much something can be or grow.
Like a ceiling that keeps a number from going any higher.
The school decided to cap class sizes at thirty students.
They capped the number of tickets sold for safety reasons.
UsageSay capped at a number.
Similarlimit, restrict, curb
Oppositeuncap
6
verbtransitive
To put a cover on top of something, or to be on top of it.
Like putting a lid on a jar to close it.
Remember to cap the bottle before you shake it.
She capped the pen and put it in her bag.
Similarcover, seal, top, close
Oppositeuncap, open, uncover
7
team appearancenouncountable
A single appearance playing for a national team, counted as a record of honor.
Like earning a badge each time you play for your country.
She earned her first cap for the national team at nineteen.
He retired with over a hundred caps.
UsagePlayers win caps.
Similarappearance
Note
8
company valuenouncountable or uncountable
In business, the money a company is worth or has raised from shares and loans.
The company's market cap passed one billion dollars last year.
The cap table shows who owns how much of the new company.
UsageUsually market cap.
Similarcapitalization, valuation
Note
9
mushroom topnouncountable
The rounded top part of a mushroom, above the stem.
Like the round, umbrella-shaped top of a mushroom on its stem.
She brushed the dirt off the mushroom cap before cooking.
The cap of this toadstool is bright red with white spots.
10
capital letternouncolloquialcountable
A big letter, like the ones used at the start of names.
Please write your last name in caps on the form.
Use a cap for the first letter of each sentence.
UsageOften in all caps.
Similarcapital, uppercase
Oppositelowercase
11
pick for teamverbtransitive
To pick a player for a national team, or give someone a cap as an honor.
She was first capped for her country at eighteen.
The national coach may cap the young striker next month.
UsageOften was capped for his country.
Similarselect, pick, choose
Note

Less common meanings

12
a lienounslanguncountable
A lie, or a boast that is not true.
Like saying something happened when it really did not.
That story about meeting a movie star is pure cap.
Everyone could tell his excuse was cap.
UsageMostly that's cap and no cap.
Similarnonsense, lies, baloney
Note
13
tell liesverbslangintransitive
To tell a lie or say something that is not true.
Like making up a story that is not true.
He'll cap about anything to look impressive.
Stop capping and just admit the truth.
UsageSay cap about something.
Similarlie, fib, exaggerate
Note
14
tooth covernouncountable
A hard cover that a dentist puts over a damaged tooth.
Like a helmet that covers and guards a tooth.
The dentist fitted a cap over her cracked tooth.
His front tooth has a white cap that matches the others.
Similarcrown
15
blasting devicenouncountable
A small device that sets off a bigger explosion.
Like the match that lights a much bigger firework.
The miners set a cap in each hole before clearing the area.
A single cap can trigger the whole charge.
Similardetonator
16
toy explosivenouncountable
A small bit of explosive powder in paper or plastic that pops in a toy gun.
Like the little bang you hear when you pop bubble wrap.
The kids loaded a roll of caps into their toy pistols.
Every cap popped with a loud bang.
Note
17
change to capitalsverbcolloquialtransitive
To change the letters in a word into big capital letters.
Don't cap the whole message, or it will look like shouting.
She capped the title to make it stand out.
Similarcapitalize
18
outdoverbtransitive
To do better than someone or something else.
Like beating a high score that someone just set.
Her final joke capped everyone else's at the party.
No one could cap his amazing story.
Similartop, outdo, beat, surpass, trump
19
take a screenshotverbtransitive
To take a screenshot or save a copy of a video.
Cap that moment before it disappears from the stream.
She capped the funny clip to share with friends.
Similarscreenshot, capture, record
Note
20
a screenshotnouncolloquialabbreviationclipping
Short for capture. A saved picture of a screen, or a saved video clip.
Send me a cap of that error message.
He posted a cap from last night's stream.
UsageSay a cap of something.
Note
21
gun downverbslangtransitive
To shoot someone with a gun.
He threatened to cap anyone who came near the house.
They capped the guard before breaking in.
Similarshoot, plug, waste
Note
22
gunshotnounslangcountable
A bullet fired from a gun at someone.
He warned that anyone who crossed him would catch a cap.
The gang threatened to put a cap in him.
UsageMostly put a cap in someone.
Similarbullet, slug
Note
23
seize (games)verbtransitive
To take control of a game target, like a flag or a base.
Our team needs to cap the flag before time runs out.
She capped the last checkpoint to win the round.
Similarcapture, take, seize
Note
24
electronic partnouncountable
An electronic part that stores a small amount of electric charge.
The technician replaced a blown cap on the circuit board.
A faulty cap made the radio hum.
Similarcapacitor
Note
25
nouncountable
The very top of a mountain or other tall thing.
Similarsummit, peak, top
26
nounobsolete
The very top of something, or the best one of a group.
Thou art the Cap / Of all the Fooles aliue.
c. 1605, William Shakespeare, “The Life of Tymon of Athens”
27
nounobsolete
Taking your hat off to show respect.
He that will give a cap and make a leg, in thanks for a favour he never received, deserveth rather to be blamed for want of wit, than to be praised for store of manners.
1655, Thomas Fuller, The Church History of Britain
28
noun
The top part of a bird's head, from beak to neck.
29
noun
The top piece of something built from several parts.
30
noun
A ring that holds two poles of a ship's rigging together, or a cover on a rope end.
31
noun
Part of the outside of a ball or other rounded shape, cut off by a flat slice.
32
noun
Paper for writing, cut to a big standard size.
33
noundialectalAppalachia
Corn that has been heated until it pops.
34
verbobsolete
To take off your hat to greet someone politely.
Tom never miſsed a lecture, and capped the proctor with the profoundeſt of bows.
1852, William Makepeace Thackeray, “I Go to Cambridge, and Do But Little Good There”
35
verb
To take someone's hat from them.
36
nounslang
A pill shaped like a little tube, holding a drug.
37
nouncolloquial
A rich person who owns businesses, or someone who backs capitalism.
38
noun
Short for capillary, a very small blood vessel.
39
noun
Short for caption, the words with a picture.
40
nounobsolete
A drinking bowl made of wood that you hold by two grips.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of cap apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origins

Meanings 1–7, 9, 11–16, 18, 21–22, 25

It came from an old English word for a head covering, which came from Latin.

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 2 facts

Cap derives from an earlier English word for a head covering. en.wiktionary.org
The earlier English word ultimately derives from Latin. en.wiktionary.org

Meanings 8, 10, 17, 19–20, 23–24

A shortened form of longer words such as capital, capitalization, capacitor and capture.

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 4 facts

Cap is a shortened form of capital, meaning a capital letter. en.wiktionary.org
Cap is a shortened form of capitalization. en.wiktionary.org
Cap is a shortened form of capacitor. en.wiktionary.org
Cap is a shortened form of capture. en.wiktionary.org