cape
nounnounverbcommon in dialogue
- //keɪp//
A piece or point of land, extending beyond the adjacent coast into a sea or lake; a promontory; a headland.
noun
- 1
A piece or point of land, extending beyond the adjacent coast into a sea or lake; a promontory; a headland.
Etymology
From Middle English cape, gappe, cap, from Old French cap (“cape, headland”), from Latin caput (“head”). Compare Old Norse kobbi (“islet, small cape”). Doublet of capo, caput, chef, and chief, and distantly with head and Howth. For sense development, compare English ness (“a promontory point, cape”) from a root related to nose, Bulgarian нос (nos) (the same PIE root). Also compare coast (<< Latin costa).
noun
- 1
A sleeveless garment or part of a garment, hanging from the neck over the back, arms, and shoulders.
Mind you, clothes were clothes in those days. […] Frills, ruffles, flounces, lace, complicated seams and gores: not only did they sweep the ground and have to be held up in one hand elegantly as you walked along, but they had little capes or coats or feather boas.
- 2
slangA superhero.
Rows and rows of booths and pavilions stretch across the floor, draped with glowing holograms and shifting signs beckoning capes to try their wares. Bystander insurance. Hypertech components. Mystical ingredients. Training DVDs ...
Etymology
From French cape, from Old Occitan capa, from Late Latin cappa (“cape”). The second sense ("superhero") is metonymic from the fact that many superheroes wear capes. Likewise, the verb sense "defend, praise" alludes to the stereotypical depiction of superheroes wearing capes when they come to people's defense. (Compare caped crusader.) Doublet of capa and cappa.
verb
- 1
To incite or attract (a bull) to charge a certain direction, by waving a cape.
“I became a novillero when I was fourteen, but I had already been going to the fields and caping bulls since I was about twelve."
- 2
To head or point; to keep a course.
The ship capes southwest by south.
- 3
To skin an animal, particularly a deer.
- 4
slangTo defend or praise, especially that which is unworthy.
A lot of African-Americans believe the answer is Clinton, mostly because "she's not Trump" and because President Barack Obama is shamelessly caping for her.
Many times, you see white supremacist groups caping for women to mask their agenda of white nationalism.
"I can't believe I'm out here caping for a politician."
[…] Biden is the old man who once caped for systematic racism; […]
- 5
To cover (as) with or like a cape.
The white fur that caped his neck and shoulders stood on end.
He shook her gently, combing his fingers through her coppery curls that caped her shoulders like filigree.
He caped the children and draped them in long wraps, wigs, and swords, and then they all went off down the hall, around the house, and into the yard, Jack singing in his high little voice, “Let’s go off adventuring, adventuring, adventuring!”
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw blatant relief sketched on her face as the jacket caped her body.
Forms
- plural
- capes
- past tense
- caped
- past participle
- caped
- present participle
- caping
- third person singular
- capes
cape · A piece or point of land, extending beyond the adjacent coast into a sea or lake; a promontory; a headland.
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