Ca·per v. i. [imp. & p. p. Capered p. pr. & vb. n. capering.] 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.
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.
Ca·per, n. A vessel formerly used by the Dutch, privateer.
Ca·per, n.
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 Capparis 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.
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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: a playful leap or hop [syn: capriole]
6: 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