# cap

/ˈkæp/ (US) · /kˈæp/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/cap
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. a hat

noun · CEFR A2

a soft, flat hat that fits closely to the head and usually has a stiff part at the front called a peak.

For teachers: a close-fitting head covering, typically soft and brimless or featuring a peak, often worn for sport or casual use.

- He pulled his baseball cap down low to keep the sun out of his eyes.
- The player adjusted his cap before stepping onto the field, ensuring the peak was perfectly aligned to block the stadium lights.

### 2. a lid or cover

noun · CEFR A2

a small lid or cover used to close a bottle, tube, or pen.

For teachers: a protective lid or seal designed to close the opening of a container or the tip of an object.

- Make sure you put the cap back on the pen so it doesn't dry out.
- The technician tightened the plastic cap on the chemical vial to prevent any accidental leakage during transport.

### 3. an upper limit

noun · CEFR B2

a maximum amount of money that can be spent or charged.

For teachers: a legally or contractually mandated upper limit on a price, salary, or expenditure.

- The government introduced a cap on energy prices to help families with bills.
- The league's salary cap prevents wealthier clubs from monopolising the best talent by restricting total player compensation.

### 4. a lie

noun · CEFR C1 · Slang · Informal

a lie or an exaggeration.

For teachers: a statement that is untrue or exaggerated; frequently used in the phrase 'no cap' to mean 'I am not lying'.

- He said he met the president, but I think that's a cap.
- The claim that he finished the entire project in a single afternoon was pure cap, as his colleagues had seen him struggling for weeks.

Teaching tip: Commonly used by younger speakers; 'no cap' is a very frequent modern idiom used to emphasise sincerity.

### 5. sports appearance

noun · CEFR B2 · British English

an appearance for a national team in a sport like football or rugby.

For teachers: an international appearance for a national sports team, originating from the physical cap formerly awarded to players.

- The striker earned his fiftieth cap for England in the match against France.
- Despite his consistent performance at the club level, the midfielder struggled to secure a regular cap for the national squad.

### 6. to limit

verb · CEFR B2

to set a maximum limit on an amount of money.

For teachers: to impose an upper limit on a variable, such as a price, interest rate, or budget.

- The council decided to cap rent increases at three percent per year.
- The central bank may choose to cap interest rates if the volatility in the bond market continues to escalate.

### 7. to finish or outdo

verb · CEFR B2

to finish something in a great way, or to do something even better than what came before.

For teachers: to conclude an event or series of actions, often in a superlative way; to surpass a previous achievement.

- They capped the evening with a beautiful firework display over the lake.
- The team capped a remarkable season by winning the championship trophy in front of their home crowd.

## Examples

- He says he's a millionaire, but that's cap.
- She claimed she finished the entire project in one night, but everyone in the office knew it was cap.
- While his stories about his adventurous youth were entertaining, the sheer improbability of his claims led his friends to privately dismiss most of it as entertaining but obvious cap.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.