white-caps

The sailboat cuts through the white-caps on the open sea.

Definition

1. Noun (plural):
   • Wave crests with white foam: "white-caps" refers to the tops of waves that have become white and frothy, typically due to wind or the wave breaking, as seen on oceans or large lakes.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The strong wind created white-caps across the entire bay. (Foamy wave crests appeared on the water surface.)
  • Sailors watch for white-caps as a sign of rough weather. (They observe the foamy wave tops to predict conditions.)

Advanced Usage

• "to see white-caps": to observe the frothy wave crests, often indicating windy or stormy conditions.
  • From the shore, we could see white-caps forming far out at sea. (We noticed the wave tops turning white due to wind.)

Variants and Related Words

• Whitecap (n, singular): a single wave with a foamy crest.

  • A whitecap broke against the rocks. (One foamy wave hit the shore.)

• White-capped (adj): having white caps or crests (used for waves or mountains).

  • The white-capped waves were dangerous for small boats. (The waves with foamy tops posed a hazard.)

Synonyms

• Foam crest: the top part of a wave covered in foam.
• Breaking wave: a wave that has collapsed, producing white water.
• White water: the frothy water produced by breaking waves.

Related Idioms

• "white-caps on the water": a phrase describing windy conditions on a body of water.
  • The lake had white-caps by midday, so we decided not to go sailing. (The windy conditions created foamy wave tops, making sailing unsafe.)