Conjuring Cap
Preserved but no longer current.
I must put on my conjuring cap — i.e. your question requires deliberate thought, and I must reflect on it. Tradition says that Eric XIV, King of Sweden (1560-77), was a great believer in magic, and had an "enchanted cap*' by means of which he pretended to exercise power over the elements.
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 “Conjuring Cap” mean?
I must put on my conjuring cap — i.e. your question requires deliberate thought, and I must reflect on it. Tradition says that Eric XIV, King of Sweden (1560-77), was a great believer in magic, and had an "enchanted cap*' by means of which he pretended to exercise power over the elements.
Is “Conjuring Cap” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.