CAP AND BELLS above
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Their headgear was a cap with bells. One is bound to speak the truth . . . whether he mounts the cap and bells or a shovel hat [like a bishop]. — THACKERAY.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “CAP AND BELLS above” mean?
Their headgear was a cap with bells. One is bound to speak the truth . . . whether he mounts the cap and bells or a shovel hat [like a bishop]. — THACKERAY.
Is “CAP AND BELLS above” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.