caper
/'keipə/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun:
- A playful or energetic leap or skip: A caper is a light, playful jump, often showing high spirits or joy.
- A mischievous or lighthearted activity; a prank: A caper can refer to a silly, fun, or frivolous act done for amusement.
- A crime, especially a robbery or swindle: Informally, a caper is a clever, adventurous, or elaborate criminal act, often portrayed in a lighthearted way in stories.
- A pickled flower bud used as a condiment: A caper is the small, pickled bud of a Mediterranean shrub (Capparis spinosa), used to add a pungent, salty flavor to food.
- A prickly shrub of the genus Capparis: Any plant belonging to the genus Capparis, which includes the species that produces the edible buds.
Verb:
- To jump or skip about playfully: To caper means to move in a lively, playful way by jumping, leaping, or dancing.
Examples of Usage
- Noun (Playful Leap):
- The lambs were full of energy, running and performing little capers in the field.
- Noun (Mischievous Act):
- The children's midnight caper involved sneaking into the kitchen to eat all the cookies.
- Noun (Crime):
- The movie is a comedy about a bungled casino caper in Las Vegas.
- Noun (Condiment):
- The pasta sauce was garnished with chopped parsley and a few capers.
- Verb:
- The puppy would caper around the room whenever its owner came home.
Advanced Usage
- "To cut a caper": To perform a playful leap or skip; to behave in a frolicsome manner.
- The jester cut a caper to amuse the king.
- Used to describe a narrative genre: A "caper story" or "caper film" typically involves a detailed, clever plan for a theft or con, often with humorous elements.
- Heist movies are a popular subgenre of caper films.
Variants and Related Words
- Caperer (n): One who capers; a playful, skipping person.
- Capery (adj): Resembling or characteristic of a caper; playful.
Synonyms
- Noun (Leap): Skip, hop, frolic, gambol, frisk.
- Noun (Prank): Antic, escapade, stunt, lark, mischief.
- Noun (Crime): Heist, job, robbery, scheme, stunt.
- Verb: Skip, hop, dance, frolic, gambol, romp.
Related Phrases
- "Caper about": To move around in a playful, skipping manner.
- The children capered about in the playground after school.
Related Idioms
- "Cut capers": To act in a silly or playful manner; to frolic.
- The old film showed the comedian cutting capers to make the audience laugh.
Noun
- a ludicrous or grotesque act done for fun and amusement
- 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
- a playful leap or hop
- a crime (especially a robbery)
- the gang pulled off a bank job in St. Louis
- pickled flower buds used as a pungent relish in various dishes and sauces
- any of numerous plants of the genus Capparis
Verb
- jump about playfully