Idiom
set one's cap at
Meaning
To choose a man as a potential husband (for a girl).
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Examples
“She set her cap at the new neighbor.”
“She sets her cap at the doctor because he is very kind.”
“Does she plan to set her cap at the new teacher?”
“Everyone noticed how she set her cap at the wealthy visitor during the summer dance.”
“My grandmother told stories about how she set her cap at a handsome soldier she met at the train station.”
“In the old novel, the main character sets her cap at the farm owner to help her family.”
“Determined to secure her future, the young woman set her cap at the eligible bachelor despite his cold reputation.”
Examples
simple
“She set her cap at the new neighbor.”
“She sets her cap at the doctor because he is very kind.”
“Does she plan to set her cap at the new teacher?”
contextual
“Everyone noticed how she set her cap at the wealthy visitor during the summer dance.”
“My grandmother told stories about how she set her cap at a handsome soldier she met at the train station.”
“In the old novel, the main character sets her cap at the farm owner to help her family.”
complex
“Determined to secure her future, the young woman set her cap at the eligible bachelor despite his cold reputation.”
Origin
The idiom is probably a calque of the French phrase *mettre le cap sur*, which describes the act of setting a course for a specific destination. It implies a certain navigational resolve, treating the object of one's romantic interest as a geographical coordinate to be reached by steady steering. Though the English usage suggests a more domestic or social pursuit, the underlying metaphor remains one of maritime transit.
Key words
Related idioms
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