cap (redirected from caps)

come/go cap in hand (British, American & Australian, American)

to ask someone for money or help in a way which makes you feel ashamed. I had to go cap in hand to my parents again to ask for some money. (often + to)

See also: come, hand

a feather in someone's cap (old-fashioned)

something very good that someone has done. A new television series will be another feather in his cap.

See also: feather

If the cap fits (wear it). (British, American & Australian, American)

something that you say to tell someone that if they are guilty of something bad, they should accept criticism. Look, I didn't say who was to blame for this mess - but if the cap fits, wear it.

See also: fit

put your thinking cap on

to start to think seriously about how to solve a problem. Let me put my thinking cap on and see if I can come up with an answer.

See also: thinking

to cap it all

if you have been describing bad things which happened and then say that to cap it all something else happened, you mean that the final thing was even worse. He spilled red wine on the carpet, insulted my mother, and, to cap it all, he broke my favourite vase.

See also: all

to cap/crown/top it all

something that you say when you want to tell someone the worst event in a series of bad events that has happened to you. He spilled red wine on the carpet, insulted my mother, and to cap it all, broke my favourite vase.

See also: all, crown, top

---

cap something off

to complete an experience in a particularly good or bad way. We went to the beach, strolled around town, and capped off our visit with a fireworks display that evening.

Usage notes: sometimes used in the form cap it all off: There's been bad economic news all year, and to cap it all off, now oil prices are increasing.

to top it all (off)

a feather in your cap

an achievement that you can be proud of. An order for 28 new aircraft is quite a feather in Boeing's cap.

Etymology: based on the custom in some American Indian cultures of wearing a feather to as a symbol of bravery in war

See also: feather