Emily Dickinson Lexicon

CAP'TAIN-SHIP, n.

1. The condition or post of a captain or chief commander. Shak.
2. The rank, quality or post of a captain. In lieu of this, captaincy is now used.
3. The command of a clan, or government of a certain district. Davies.
4. Skill in military affairs.

CAP'TA-TION, n. [L. captatio, from capto, to catch.]

The act or practice of catching favor or applause, by flattery or address. King Charles.

CAP'TION, n.¹ [L. captio, from capio, to seize.]

1. The act of taking, or apprehending by a judicial process. [Little used.]
2. A certificate signed by commissioners in chancery, declaring when and where the commission was executed. Ash.
3. A preamble.
4. In Scots law, a writ issued at the instance of a creditor, commanding an officer to take and imprison the debtor, till he pays the debt.

CAP'TION, n.² [L. captio, capio.]

In law, a certificate, stating the time and place of executing a commission in chancery, or of taking a deposition, or of the finding of an indictment, and the court or authority before which such act was performed, and such other particulars as are necessary to render it legal and valid. A caption may be placed at the head or foot of a certificate, or on the back of an indictment. The word caption signifies a taking, but it includes the particulars above mentioned. The use of the word in any other than a technical sense, is not considered to be well authorized.

CAP'TIOUS, a. [L. captiosus, from capto, to catch.]

1. Disposed to find fault, or raise objections; apt to cavil, as in popular language, it is said, apt to catch at; as, a captious man.
2. Fitted to catch or insnare; insidious; as, a captious question. Locke.
3. Proceeding from a caviling disposition; as, a captious objection or criticism.

CAP'TIOUS-LY, adv.

In a captious manner; with an inclination or intention to object, or censure. Locke.

CAP'TIOUS-NESS, n.

Disposition to find fault; inclination to object; peevishness. Locke.

CAP'TI-VATE, a.

Taken prisoner. Shak.

CAP'TI-VATE, v.t. [L. captivo, from captivus, a prisoner, from capto, to take; Fr. captiver; Sp. cautivar; Port. cativar; It. cattivare.]

1. To take prisoner; to seize by force; as an enemy in war. Shak. Locke. B. Trumbull.
2. To subdue; to bring into bondage. King Charles.
3. To overpower and gain with excellence or beauty; to charm; to engage the affections; to bind in love. Addison.
4. To enslave; with to; as, captivated to error. Locke.

CAP'TI-VA-TED, pp.

Made prisoner; charmed.

CAP'TI-VA-TING, ppr.

1. Taking prisoner; engaging the affections.
2. adj. Having power to engage the affections.

CAP-TI-VA'TION, n.

The act of taking a prisoner; a taking one captive.

CAP'TIVE, a.

1. Made prisoner in war; kept in bondage, or confinement; as, captive souls. Dryden.
2. Holding in confinement; as, captive chains.

CAP'TIVE, n. [Fr. captif; Sp. cautivo; It. cattivo, whence Eng. caitif; L. captivus, from capto, to seize.]

1. A prisoner taken by force or stratagem in war, by an enemy; followed by to; as, a captive to the victor.
2. One who is charmed or subdued by beauty or excellence; one whose affections are seized, or who is held by strong ties of love.
3. One who is ensnared by love or flattery, or by wiles. 2 Tim. ii. 26.
4. A slave. Anciently captives were enslaved by their conquerors. But in modern times, they are not made slaves in Christian countries; and the word captive, in a literal sense, rarely signifies a slave.

CAP'TIVE, v.t.

To take prisoner; to bring into subjection. [Obs.] Dryden. Prior.

CAP-TIV'I-TY, n. [Fr. captivité; L. captivitas, from capto, to seize.]

1. The state of being a prisoner, or of being in the power of an enemy by force or the fate of war. Dryden.
2. Subjection to love. Addison.
3. Subjection; a state of being under control. Bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. 2 Cor. x.
4. Subjection; servitude; slavery. But I see another law in my members – bringing me into captivity to the law of sin. Rom. vii. To lead captivity captive, in Scripture, is to subdue those who have held others in slavery, or captivity. Ps. lxviii.

CAP'TOR, n. [L. capio, to take.]

One who takes, as a prisoner or a prize. It is appropriately one who takes a prize at sea.

CAP'TURE, n. [L. captura; Fr. capture; from L. capio, to take.]

1. In a general sense, the act of taking or seizing; as, the capture of an enemy, of a ship, or of booty, by force, surprise or stratagem.
2. The thing taken; a prize; prey taken by force, surprise or stratagem.
3. Seizure; arrest; as, the capture of a criminal or debtor.

CAP'TURE, v.t.

To take or seize by force, surprise or stratagem, as an enemy or his property; to take by force under the authority of a commission; as, to capture a ship.

CAP'TUR-ED, pp.

Taken as a prize.

CAP'TUR-ING, ppr.

Seizing as a prize.

CA-PUC'CI-O, n. [It.]

A capuchin or hood.

CA-PU'CHED, a.

Covered with a hood. [Little used.] Brown.

CAP-U-CHIN', n. [Fr. capucine, from capuce, a hood or cowl.]

1. A garment for females, consisting of a cloke and hood, made in imitation of the dress of capuchin monks. Johnson.
2. A pigeon whose head is covered with feathers.

CAP-U-CHINS', n.

Monks of the order of St. Francis, who cover their heads with a capuce, capuchon, a stuff-cap or cowl. They are clothed in brown or gray, go barefooted, and never shave their faces. Encyc.