cap-à-pie

A knight stands armed cap-à-pie before the castle gate.

Definition

1. Adverb:
   • From head to foot: "cap-à-pie" means completely, thoroughly, or from head to toe, especially in reference to being armed or equipped. It describes a state of being fully covered or prepared in every respect.

Usage Examples

• (The knight was fully armed from head to foot.)
• (She was completely dressed in costume, from head to toe.)
• (The soldier was fully equipped from head to foot.)

Advanced Usage

• "cap-à-pie" is often used in literary or formal contexts, particularly to describe a person who is fully armed or attired in a specific manner.
  • The guards were cap-à-pie in black, their faces hidden behind visors. (The guards were completely covered in black clothing and armor.)

Variants and Related Words

• Cap-a-pie (alternate spelling): This is a variant spelling of "cap-à-pie," meaning the same thing.
  • He was cap-a-pie in chainmail for the reenactment. (He was fully dressed in chainmail from head to foot.)

Synonyms

• Completely: fully, entirely, without exception.
• From head to foot: in every part of the body; wholly.
• Thoroughly: in a thorough manner; completely.

Related Idioms

• "Armed to the teeth": heavily armed or fully equipped.

  • The pirates were armed to the teeth with swords and pistols. (They were fully armed, similar to being armed cap-à-pie.)

• "From top to toe": entirely; in every part.

  • She was dressed in red from top to toe. (She was completely dressed in red, like being cap-à-pie.)

Note: "cap-à-pie" is a fixed phrase (borrowed from French "cap-à-pie" meaning "head to foot") and does not have phrasal verbs or common compound forms beyond the spelling variant.