English Meaning & Definitions
To skip, leap, or dance about in a playful, lively, or mischievous manner.
- “The children cut a caper in the garden when they heard that school was canceled for a snow day.”
- “Feeling suddenly youthful in the spring air, the old man cut a caper on his way down the street.”
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “cut a caper”.
The phrase dates back to the 16th century. The word 'caper' in this context derives from the Italian 'capriola', meaning a 'kid's leap' (from 'capra', goat), reflecting the playful, jumping movement of young goats. To 'cut' in this sense means to perform or execute a movement, similar to the phrase 'cut a rug' (to dance).
Picture a chef chopping (cutting) a tiny green caper, but they get so excited about the recipe that they jump up and do a silly, playful dance in the kitchen.
Frequently Asked Questions About “cut a caper”
1. What is the meaning of “cut a caper” in English?
In English, cut a caper (idiom) is defined as: “To skip, leap, or dance about in a playful, lively, or mischievous manner.”.
2. How do you use “cut a caper” in a sentence?
“The children cut a caper in the garden when they heard that school was canceled for a snow day.”
3. What are English synonyms of “cut a caper”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “cut a caper”?
The phrase dates back to the 16th century. The word 'caper' in this context derives from the Italian 'capriola', meaning a 'kid's leap' (from 'capra', goat), reflecting the playful, jumping movement of young goats. To 'cut' in this sense means to perform or execute a movement, similar to the phrase 'cut a rug' (to dance).
🇬🇧More English Words to English
View all English words →The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.
A specific duration of time equivalent to one hour and forty-six minutes.