Hypertext Webster Gateway: "caper"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Caper \Ca"per\, n. [F. c[^a]pre, fr. L. capparis, Gr. ?; cf. Ar.
& Per. al-kabar.]
1. The pungent grayish green flower bud of the European and
Oriental caper ({Capparis spinosa}), much used for
pickles.
2. (Bot.) A plant of the genus {Capparis}; -- called also
{caper bush}, {caper tree}.
Note: The {Capparis spinosa} is a low prickly shrub of the
Mediterranean coasts, with trailing branches and
brilliant flowers; -- cultivated in the south of Europe
for its buds. The {C. sodada} is an almost leafless
spiny shrub of central Africa (Soudan), Arabia, and
southern India, with edible berries.
{Bean caper}. See {Bran caper}, in the {Vocabulary}.
{Caper sauce}, a kind of sauce or catchup made of capers.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Caper \Ca"per\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Capered} p. pr. & vb. n.
{capering}.] [From older capreoll to caper, cf. F. se cabrer
to prance; all ultimately fr. L. caper, capra, goat. See
{Capriole}.]
To leap or jump about in a sprightly manner; to cut capers;
to skip; to spring; to prance; to dance.
He capers, he dances, he has eyes of youth. --Shak.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Caper \Ca"per\, n.
A frolicsome leap or spring; a skip; a jump, as in mirth or
dancing; a prank.
{To cut a caper}, to frolic; to make a sportive spring; to
play a prank. --Shak.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Caper \Ca"per\, n. [D. kaper.]
A vessel formerly used by the Dutch, privateer. --Wright.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
caper
n 1: any of numerous plants of the genus Capparis
2: pickled flower buds used as a pungent relish in various
dishes and sauces
3: a crime (especially a robbery); "the gang pulled off a bank
job in St. Louis" [syn: {job}]
4: a ludicrous or grotesque act done for fun and amusement
[syn: {antic}, {joke}, {prank}, {trick}, {put-on}]
5: gay or light-hearted recreational activity for diversion or
amusement; "it was all done in play"; "their frolic in the
surf threatened to become ugly" [syn: {play}, {frolic}, {romp},
{gambol}]
v : jump about playfully
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