to be capped
Preserved but no longer current.
A player who has represen- ted England, Scotland, Ireland, or Wales in an international match at any of the major field sports may wear a cap bearing the national emblem. Hence the phrase: He was capped for England.
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 “to be capped” mean?
A player who has represen- ted England, Scotland, Ireland, or Wales in an international match at any of the major field sports may wear a cap bearing the national emblem. Hence the phrase: He was capped for England.
Is “to be capped” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.