Chapter 231

2. (Mus.) See Capriccio .

Syn. -- Freak; whim; crotchet; fancy; vagary; humor; whimsey; fickleness.

Capricious <Xpage=214>

Ca*pri"cious (?) , a. [Cf. F. capricleux , It. capriccioso .] Governed or characterized by caprice; apt to change suddenly; freakish; whimsical; changeable. " Capricious poet." Shak . " Capricious humor." Hugh Miller .

A capricious partiality to the Romish practices. Hallam.

Syn. -- Freakish; whimsical; fanciful; fickle; crotchety; fitful; wayward; changeable; unsteady; uncertain; inconstant; arbitrary.

-- Ca*pri"cious*ly , adv. -- Ca*pri"cious*ness , n.

Capricorn <Xpage=214>

Cap"ri*corn (?) , n. [L. capricornus ; caper goat + cornu horn: cf. F. capricorne .] 1. (Astron.) The tenth sign of zodiac, into which the sun enters at the winter solstice, about December 21. See Tropic .

The sun was entered into Capricorn . Dryden.

2. (Astron.) A southern constellation, represented on ancient monuments by the figure of a goat, or a figure with its fore part like a fish.

Capricorn beetle (Zo\'94l.) , any beetle of the family Carambucid\'91 ; one of the long-horned beetles. The larv\'91 usually bore into the wood or bark of trees and shurbs and are often destructive. See Girdler , Pruner .

Caprid <Xpage=214>

Cap"rid (?) , a. [L. caper , capra , goat.] (Zo\'94l.) Of or pertaining to the tribe of ruminants of which the goat, or genus Capra , is the type.

Caprification <Xpage=214>

Cap"ri*fi*ca"tion (?) , n. [L. caprificatio , fr. caprificare to ripen figs by caprification, fr. caprificus the wild fig; caper goat + ficus fig.] The practice of hanging, upon the cultivated fig tree, branches of the wild fig infested with minute hymenopterous insects.

&hand; It is supposed that the little insects insure fertilization by carrying the pollen from the male flowers near the opening of the fig down to the female flowers, and also accelerate ripening the fruit by puncturing it. The practice has existed since ancient times, but its benefit has been disputed.

Caprifole <Xpage=214>

Cap"ri*fole (?) , n. [L. caper goat + folium leaf.] The woodbine or honeysuckle.

Spenser.

Caprifoliaceous <Xpage=214>

Cap"ri*fo`li*a`ceous (?) , a. Of, pertaining to, or resembling, the Honeysuckle family of plants ( Caprifoliac\'91 .

Capriform <Xpage=214>

Cap"ri*form (?) , a. [L. caper goat + -form .] Having the form of a goat.

Caprigenous <Xpage=214>

Ca*prig"e*nous (?) , a. [L. caprigenus ; caper goat + gegnere to produce.] Of the goat kind.

Caprine <Xpage=214>

Cap"rine (?) , a. [L. caprinus .] Of or pertaining to a goat; as, caprine gambols .

Capriole <Xpage=214>

Cap"ri*ole (?) , n. [F. capriole , cabriole , It. capriola , fr. L. caper goat. Cf. Caper , v. i. Cabriole , Caprice , Cheveril .] 1. (Man.) A leap that a horse makes with all fours, upwards only, without advancing, but with a kick or jerk of the hind legs when at the height of the leap.

2. A leap or caper, as in dancing. "With lofty turns and caprioles ."

Sir J. Davies.

Capriole <Xpage=214>

Cap"ri*ole , v. i. To perform a capriole.

Carlyle.

Capriped <Xpage=214>

Cap"ri*ped (?) , a. [L. capripers ; caper goat + pes pedis , foot.] Having feet like those of a goat.

<page="215"> Page 215

Caproate <Xpage=215>

Cap"ro*ate (?) , n. (Chem.) A salt of caproic acid.

Caproic <Xpage=215>

Ca*pro"ic (?) , a. (Chem.) See under Capric .

Caprylate <Xpage=215>

Cap"ry*late (?) , n. (Chem.) A salt of caprylic acid.

Caprylic <Xpage=215>

Ca*pryl"ic (?) , a. (Chem.) See under Capric .

Capsaicin <Xpage=215>

Cap*sa"i*cin (?) , n. [From Capsicum .] (Chem.) A colorless crystalline substance extracted from the Capsicum annuum , and giving off vapors of intense acridity.

Capsheaf <Xpage=215>

Cap"sheaf` (?) , n. The top sheaf of a stack of grain: ( fig .) the crowning or finishing part of a thing.

Capsicin <Xpage=215>

Cap"si*cin (?) , n. [From Capsicum .] (Chem.) A red liquid or soft resin extracted from various species of capsicum.

Capsicine <Xpage=215>

Cap"si*cine (?) , n. [From Capsicum .] (Chem.) A valatile alkaloid extracted from Capsicum annuum or from capsicin.

Capsicum <Xpage=215>

Cap"si*cum (?) , n. [NL., fr. L. capsa box, chest.] (Bot.) A genus of plants of many species, producing capsules or dry berries of various forms, which have an exceedingly pungent, biting taste, and when ground form the red of Cayenne pepper of commerce.

&hand; The most important species are Capsicum baccatum or birs pepper. C , annuum or chili pepper, C . frutesens or spur pepper, and C . annuum or Guinea pepeer, which includes the bell pepper and other common garden varieties. The fruit is much used, both in its green and ripe state, in pickles and in cookery. See Cayenne pepper .

Capsize <Xpage=215>

Cap*size" (?) , v. t. & i. [ imp. & p. p. Capsized (#) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Capsizing .] [Cf. Sp. cabecear to nod, pitch, capuzar , chapuzar , to sink (a vessel) by the head; both fr. L. caput head.] To upset or overturn, as a vessel or other body.

But what if carrying sail capsize the boat? Byron.

Capsize <Xpage=215>

Cap"size` (?) , n. An upset or overturn.

Capsquare <Xpage=215>

Cap"*square (?) , n. (Gun.) A metal covering plate which passes over the trunnions of a cannon, and holds it in place.

Capstan <Xpage=215>

Cap"stan (?) , n. [F. cabestan , fr. Sp. cabestrante , cabrestante , fr. cabestrar to bind with a halter, fr. cabestro halter, fr. L. capistrum halter, fr. capere to hold (see Capacious ); or perh. the Spanish is fr. L. caper goat + stans , p. pr. of stare to stand; cf. F. ch\'8avre she-goat, also a machine for raising heavy weights.] A vertical cleated drum or cylinder, revolving on an upright spindle, and surmounted by a drumhead with sockets for bars or levers. It is much used, especially on shipboard, for moving or raising heavy weights or exerting great power by traction upon a rope or cable, passing around the drum. It is operated either by steam power or by a number of men walking around the capstan, each pushing on the end of a lever fixed in its socket. [Sometimes spelt Capstern , but improperly.]

Capstan bar , one of the long bars or levers by which the capstan is worked; a handspike.. -- To pawl the capstan , to drop the pawls so that they will catch in the notches of the pawl ring, and prevent the capstan from turning back. -- To rig the capstan , to prepare the for use, by putting the bars in the sockets. -- To surge the capstan , to slack the tension of the rope or cable wound around it.

Capstone <Xpage=215>

Cap"stone` (?) , n. (Paleon.) A fossil echinus of the genus Cannulus ; -- so called from its supposed resemblance to a cap.

Capsular, Capsulary <Xpage=215>

Cap"su*lar (?) , Cap"su*la*ry (?) , a. [Cf. F. capsulaire .] Of or pertaining to a capsule; having the nature of a capsula; hollow and fibrous.

Capsular ligament (Anat.) , a ligamentous bag or capsule surrounding many movable joints in the skeleton.

Capsulate, Capsulated <Xpage=215>

Cap"su*late (?) , Cap"su*la`ted (?) , a. Inclosed in a capsule, or as in a chest or box.

Capsule <Xpage=215>

Cap"sule (?) , n. [L. capsula a little box or chest, fr. capsa chest, case, fr. capere to take, contain: cf. F. capsule .] 1. (Bot.) a dry fruit or pod which is made up of several parts or carpels, and opens to discharge the seeds, as, the capsule of the poppy, the flax, the lily, etc.

2. (Chem.) (a) A small saucer of clay for roasting or melting samples of ores, etc.; a scorifier. (b) a small, shallow, evaporating dish, usually of porcelain.

3. (Med.) A small cylindrical or spherical gelatinous envelope in which nauseous or acrid doses are inclosed to be swallowed.

4. (Anat.) A membranous sac containing fluid, or investing an organ or joint; as, the capsule of the lens of the eye . Also, a capsulelike organ.

5. A metallic seal or cover for closing a bottle,

6. A small cup or shell, as of metal, for a percussion cap, cartridge, etc.

Atrabiliary capsule . See under Atrabiliary . -- Glisson's capsule , a membranous envelope, entering the liver along with the portal vessels and insheathing the latter in their course through the organ. -- Suprarenal capsule , an organ of unknown function, above or in front of each kidney.

Captain <Xpage=215>

Cap"tain (?) , n. [OE. capitain , captain , OF. capitain , F. capitaine (cf. Sp. capitan , It. capitano ), LL. capitaneus , capitanus , fr. L. caput the head. See under Chief , and cf. Chieftain .] 1. A head, or chief officer ; as: (a) The military officer who commands a company, troop, or battery, or who has the rank entitling him to do so though he may be employed on other service. (b) An officer in the United States navy, next above a commander and below a commodore, and ranking with a colonel in the ermy. (c) By courtesy, an officer actually commanding a vessel, although not having the rank of captain. (d) The master or commanding officer of a merchant vessel. (e) One in charge of a portion of a ship's company; as, a captain of a top, captain of a gun, etc. (f) The foreman of a body of workmen. (g) A person having authority over others acting in concert; as, the captain of a boat's crew; the captain of a football team.

A trainband captain eke was he. Cowper.

The Rhodian captain , relying on . . . the lightness of his vessel, passed, in open day, through all the guards. Arbuthnot.

2. A military leader; a warrior.

Foremost captain of his time. Tennyson.

Captain general . (a) The commander in chief of an army or armies, or of the militia. (b) The Spanish governor of Cuba and its dependent islands. -- Captain lieutenant , a lieutenant with the rank and duties of captain but with a lieutenant's pay, -- as in the first company of an English regiment.

Captain <Xpage=215>

Cap"tain (?) , v. t. To act as captain of; to lead. [R.]

Men who captained or accompanied the exodus from existing forms.

Lowell .

Captain <Xpage=215>

Cap"tain , a. Chief; superior. [R.]

captain jewes in the carcanet. Shak.

Captaincy <Xpage=215>

Cap"tain*cy (?) , n. ; pl. Captaincies (<?/) . The rank, post, or commission of a captain.

Washington.

Captaincy general , the office, power, teritory, or jurisdiction of a captain general; as, the captaincy general of La Habana (Cuba and its islands).

Captainry <Xpage=215>

Cap"tain*ry (?) , n. [Cf. F. capitainerie .] Power, or command, over a certain district; chieftainship. [Obs.]

Captainship <Xpage=215>

Cap"tain*ship , n. 1. The condition, rank, post, or authority of a captain or chief commander. "To take the captainship ."

Shak.

2. Military skill; as, to show good captainship .

Captation <Xpage=215>

Cap*ta`tion (?) , n. [L. captatio , fr. captare to catch, intens of caper to take: cf. F. captation .] A courting of favor or applause, by flattery or address; a captivating quality; an attraction. [Obs.]

Without any of those dresses, or popular captations , which some men use in their speeches. Eikon Basilike.

Caption <Xpage=215>

Cap"tion (?) , n. [L. captio , fr. caper to take. In senses 3 and 4, perhaps confounded in meaning with L. caput a head. See Capacious .] 1. A caviling; a sophism. [Obs.]

This doctrine is for caption and contradiction. Bacon.

2. The act of taking or arresting a person by judicial process. [R.]

Bouvier.

3. (Law) That part of a legal instrument, as a commission, indictment, etc., which shows where, when, and by what authority, it taken, found, or executed.

Bouvier. Wharton.

4. The heading of a chapter, section, or page. [U. S.]

Captious <Xpage=215>

Cap"tious (?) , a. [F. captieux , L. captiosus . See Caption .] 1. Art to catch at faults; disposed to find fault or to cavil; eager to object; difficult to please.

A captius and suspicious. Stillingfleet.

I am sensible I have not disposed my materials to adbide the test of a captious controversy. Bwike.

2. Fitted to harass, perplex, or insnare; insidious; troublesome.

Captious restraints on navigation. Bancroft.

Syn. -- Caviling, carping, fault-finding; censorious; hypercritical; peevish, fretful; perverse; troublesome. -- Captious , caviling , Carping . A captious person is one who has a fault-finding habit or manner, or is disposed to catch at faults, errors, etc., with quarrelsome intent; a caviling person is disposed to raise objections on frivolous grounds; carping implies that one is given to ill-natured, persistent, or unreasonable fault-finding, or picking up of the words or actions of others.

Caviling is the carping of argument, carping the caviling of ill temper. C. J. Smith.

Captiously <Xpage=215>

Cap"tious*ly , adv. In a captious manner.

Captiousness <Xpage=215>

Cap"tious*ness , n. Captious disposition or manner.

Captivate <Xpage=215>

Cap"ti*vate (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Captivated ; p. pr. & vb. n. Captivating .] [L. captivatus , p. p. of captivare to capture, fr. captivus captive. See Captive .] 1. To take prisoner; to capture; to subdue. [Obs.]

Their woes whom fortune captivates . Shak.

2. To acquire ascendancy over by reason of some art or attraction; to fascinate; to charm; as, Cleopatra captivated Antony; the orator captivated all hearts.

Small landscapes of captivating loveliness. W. Irving.

Syn. -- To enslave; subdue; overpower; charm; enchant; bewitch; facinate; capture; lead captive.

Captivate <Xpage=215>

Cap"ti*vate (?) , p. a. [L. captivatus .] Taken prisoner; made captive; insnared; charmed.

Women have been captivate ere now. Shak.

Captivating <Xpage=215>

Cap"ti*va`ting (?) , a. Having power to captivate or cham; fascinating; as, captivating smiles . -- Cap"tiva`ting*ly , adv.

Captivation <Xpage=215>

Cap"ti*va`tion (?) , n. [L. capticatio .] The act of captivating. [R.]

The captivation of our understanding. Bp. Hall.

Captive <Xpage=215>

Cap"tive (?) , n. [L. captivus , fr. capere to take: cf. F. captif . See Caitiff .] 1. A prisoner taken by force or stratagem, esp., by an enemy, in war; one kept in bondage or in the power of another.

Then, when I am thy captive , talk of chains. Milton.

2. One charmed or subdued by beaty, excellence, or affection; one who is captivated.

Captive <Xpage=215>

Cap"tive , a. 1. Made prisoner, especially in war; held in bondage or in confinement.

A poor, miserable, captive thrall. Milton.

2. Subdued by love; charmed; captivated.

Even in so short a space, my wonan's heart Grossly grew captive to his honey words. Shak.

3. Of or pertaining to bondage or confinement; serving to confine; as, captive chains; captive hours.

Captive <Xpage=215>

Cap"tive (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Captived (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Captiving .] To take prisoner; to capture.

Their inhabitans slaughtered and captived . Burke.

Captivity <Xpage=215>

Cap*tiv"i*ty (?) , n. [L. captivitas : cf. F. captivit\'82 .] 1. The state of being a captive or a prisoner.

More celebrated in his captivity that in his greatest triumphs. Dryden.

2. A state of being under control; subjection of the will or affections; bondage.

Sink in the soft captivity together. Addison.

Syn. -- Imprisonment; confinement; bondage; subjection; servitude; slavery; thralldom; serfdom.

Captor <Xpage=215>

Cap"tor (?) , n. [L., a cather (of animals), fr. caper to take.] One who captures any person or thing, as a prisoner or a prize.

Capture <Xpage=215>

Cap"ture (?) , n. [L. capture , fr. caper to take: cf. F. capture . See Caitiff , and cf. aptive .]

1. The act of seizing by force, or getting possession of by superior power or by stratagem; as, the capture of an enemy, a vessel, or a criminal .

Even with regard to captures made at sea. Bluckstone.

2. The securing of an object of strife or desire, as by the power of some attraction.

3. The thing taken by force, surprise, or stratagem; a prize; prey.

Syn. -- Seizure; apprehension; arrest; detention.

Capture <Xpage=215>

Cap"ture , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Captured (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Capturing .] To seize or take possession of by force, surprise, or stratagem; to overcome and hold; to secure by effort.

Her heart is like some fortress that has been captured . W. Ivring.

Capuccio <Xpage=215>

Ca*puc"cio (?) , n. [It. cappucio . See Capoch .] A capoch or hood. [Obs.]

Spenser.

Capuched <Xpage=215>

Ca*puched" (?) , a. [See Capoch .] Cover with, or as with, a hood. [Obs.]

Sir T. Browne.

Capuchin <Xpage=215>

Cap`u*chin" (?) , n. [F. capucin a monk who wears a cowl, fr. It. cappuccio hood. See Capoch .]

1. (Eccl.) A Franciscan monk of the austere branch established in 1526 by Matteo di Baschi, distinguished by wearing the long pointed cowl or capoch of St. Francis.