Chapter Capstone to Caracal of C by Webster's Dictionary (1913 Edition)

Capstone to Caracal

Capstone
(Cap"stone`) n. (Paleon.) A fossil echinus of the genus Cannulus; — so called from its supposed resemblance to a cap.

Capsular
(Cap"su*lar Cap"su*la*ry) a. [Cf. F. capsulaire.] Of or pertaining to a capsule; having the nature of a capsule; hollow and fibrous.

Capsular ligament (Anat.), a ligamentous bag or capsule surrounding many movable joints in the skeleton.

Capsulate
(Cap"su*late Cap"su*la`ted) a. Inclosed in a capsule, or as in a chest or box.

Capsule
(Cap"sule) n. [L. capsula a little box or chest, fr. capsa chest, case, fr. capere to take, contain: cf. F. capsule.]

1. (Bot.) a dry fruit or pod which is made up of several parts or carpels, and opens to discharge the seeds, as, the capsule of the poppy, the flax, the lily, etc.

2. (Chem.) (a) A small saucer of clay for roasting or melting samples of ores, etc.; a scorifier. (b) a small, shallow, evaporating dish, usually of porcelain.

3. (Med.) A small cylindrical or spherical gelatinous envelope in which nauseous or acrid doses are inclosed to be swallowed.

4. (Anat.) A membranous sac containing fluid, or investing an organ or joint; as, the capsule of the lens of the eye. Also, a capsulelike organ.

5. A metallic seal or cover for closing a bottle.

6. A small cup or shell, as of metal, for a percussion cap, cartridge, etc.

Atrabiliary capsule. See under Atrabiliary. — Glisson's capsule, a membranous envelope, entering the liver along with the portal vessels and insheathing the latter in their course through the organ. — Suprarenal capsule, an organ of unknown function, above or in front of each kidney.

Captain
(Cap"tain) n. [OE. capitain, captain, OF. capitain, F. capitaine (cf. Sp. capitan, It. capitano), LL. capitaneus, capitanus, fr. L. caput the head. See under Chief, and cf. Chieftain.]

1. A head, or chief officer; as: (a) The military officer who commands a company, troop, or battery, or who has the rank entitling him to do so though he may be employed on other service. (b) An officer in the United States navy, next above a commander and below a commodore, and ranking with a colonel in the army. (c) By courtesy, an officer actually commanding a vessel, although not having the rank of captain. (d) The master or commanding officer of a merchant vessel. (e) One in charge of a portion of a ship's company; as, a captain of a top, captain of a gun, etc. (f) The foreman of a body of workmen. (g) A person having authority over others acting in concert; as, the captain of a boat's crew; the captain of a football team.

A trainband captain eke was he.
Cowper.

The Rhodian captain, relying on . . . the lightness of his vessel, passed, in open day, through all the guards.
Arbuthnot.

2. A military leader; a warrior.

Foremost captain of his time.
Tennyson.