to caper
- verb
- /ˈkeɪpər/
- There is a certain amount of capering around bonfires.
Examples
-
Jubilant paratroopers capered alongside them, shouting hurrahs.
Fiction book (1993) -
"Want to see the hanging!" chanted the little girl, still capering around.
Fiction book (1998) -
On the phone, we talked regularly; we roared with laughter, capering on the flights of each other's fancy, pleased as punch with our new lives.
Fiction book (1990) -
Lulu always seemed to be in the way, panting, whining, and capering all over me and my guests.
Fiction book (1995) -
Fritzi was capering on the front piazza, tearing at her hair and screeching like a goblin.
Fiction book (1993) -
The children capered joyfully in the park during the sunny afternoon.
-
As the music played, the dancers capered around the stage, filled with energy.
-
She capered happily in the field, celebrating her birthday with friends.
Synonyms
To jump quickly from one place to another or make something jump
To move by light hops in a playful way
To move with high, lively steps in a playful way
To jump and move around in a playful, excited way
To play and move about happily
To run and play in a lively, energetic way
To move in a happy, lively way, often by jumping or skipping
To run or jump playfully with a lot of energy
To move forward with small quick jumps using one foot then the other
To jump or skip in quick, lively steps
Compounds
- Specialized
A group of small trees, shrubs, and herbs that grow in hot, dry, salty places and are sometimes poisonous
- Specialized
A poisonous plant with milky sap whose seeds have an oil once used as a laxative
- Specialized
A woodpecker from the western United States with red feathers under its wings and tail
A small tree or shrub with shiny leaves and sweet-smelling flowers from warm places like Florida and the West Indies
A bush from the eastern Mediterranean and southwest Asia whose flower buds are used as capers in cooking
How Energetic
Surface Forms
Etymology
The verb caper 'to leap' comes from Latin capra 'goat' because goats are known for their jumps, so to caper is to jump or skip about in a lively, playful way.