Definition

1. Noun:

   • A playful or energetic leap or skip: A caper is a light, playful jump, often showing high spirits or joy.
   • A mischievous or lighthearted activity; a prank: A caper can refer to a silly, fun, or frivolous act done for amusement.
   • A crime, especially a robbery or swindle: Informally, a caper is a clever, adventurous, or elaborate criminal act, often portrayed in a lighthearted way in stories.
   • A pickled flower bud used as a condiment: A caper is the small, pickled bud of a Mediterranean shrub (Capparis spinosa), used to add a pungent, salty flavor to food.
   • A prickly shrub of the genus Capparis: Any plant belonging to the genus Capparis, which includes the species that produces the edible buds.

2. Verb:

   • To jump or skip about playfully: To caper means to move in a lively, playful way by jumping, leaping, or dancing.

Examples of Usage

• Noun (Playful Leap):
  • The lambs were full of energy, running and performing little capers in the field.
• Noun (Mischievous Act):
  • The children's midnight caper involved sneaking into the kitchen to eat all the cookies.
• Noun (Crime):
  • The movie is a comedy about a bungled casino caper in Las Vegas.
• Noun (Condiment):
  • The pasta sauce was garnished with chopped parsley and a few capers.
• Verb:
  • The puppy would caper around the room whenever its owner came home.

Advanced Usage

• "To cut a caper": To perform a playful leap or skip; to behave in a frolicsome manner.
  • The jester cut a caper to amuse the king.
• Used to describe a narrative genre: A "caper story" or "caper film" typically involves a detailed, clever plan for a theft or con, often with humorous elements.
  • Heist movies are a popular subgenre of caper films.

Variants and Related Words

• Caperer (n): One who capers; a playful, skipping person.
• Capery (adj): Resembling or characteristic of a caper; playful.

Synonyms

• Noun (Leap): Skip, hop, frolic, gambol, frisk.
• Noun (Prank): Antic, escapade, stunt, lark, mischief.
• Noun (Crime): Heist, job, robbery, scheme, stunt.
• Verb: Skip, hop, dance, frolic, gambol, romp.

Related Phrases

• "Caper about": To move around in a playful, skipping manner.
  • The children capered about in the playground after school.

Related Idioms

• "Cut capers": To act in a silly or playful manner; to frolic.
  • The old film showed the comedian cutting capers to make the audience laugh.

Noun

1. a ludicrous or grotesque act done for fun and amusement
2. gay or light-hearted recreational activity for diversion or amusement
   • it was all done in play
   • their frolic in the surf threatened to become ugly
3. a playful leap or hop
4. a crime (especially a robbery)
   • the gang pulled off a bank job in St. Louis
5. pickled flower buds used as a pungent relish in various dishes and sauces
6. any of numerous plants of the genus Capparis

Verb

1. jump about playfully