\Ca"per\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Capered} p. pr. & vb. n.
{capering}.] [From older capreoll to caper, cf. F. se cabrer
to prance; all ultimately fr. L. caper, capra, goat. See
{Capriole}.]
To leap or jump about in a sprightly manner; to cut capers;
to skip; to spring; to prance; to dance.

      He capers, he dances, he has eyes of youth. --Shak.

\Ca"per\, n.
A frolicsome leap or spring; a skip; a jump, as in mirth or
dancing; a prank.

{To cut a caper}, to frolic; to make a sportive spring; to
   play a prank. --Shak.

\Ca"per\, n. [D. kaper.]
A vessel formerly used by the Dutch, privateer. --Wright.

\Ca"per\, n. [F. c[^a]pre, fr. L. capparis, Gr. ?; cf. Ar.
& Per. al-kabar.]
1. The pungent grayish green flower bud of the European and
   Oriental caper ({Capparis spinosa}), much used for
   pickles.

2. (Bot.) A plant of the genus {Capparis}; -- called also
   {caper bush}, {caper tree}.

Note: The {Capparis spinosa} is a low prickly shrub of the
      Mediterranean coasts, with trailing branches and
      brilliant flowers; -- cultivated in the south of Europe
      for its buds. The {C. sodada} is an almost leafless
      spiny shrub of central Africa (Soudan), Arabia, and
      southern India, with edible berries.

{Bean caper}. See {Bran caper}, in the {Vocabulary}.

{Caper sauce}, a kind of sauce or catchup made of capers.