I cap to that
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
I assent to it. The allusion is to a custom among French judges. Those who assent to the opinion stated by any of the bench signify it by lifting their toque from their heads.
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 “I cap to that” mean?
I assent to it. The allusion is to a custom among French judges. Those who assent to the opinion stated by any of the bench signify it by lifting their toque from their heads.
Is “I cap to that” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.