capriciousness (kaprishusnes)

1. The quality of being capricious; whimsicalne ; unsteadine of purpose or opinion: as, "great capriciousne of taste," Pennant, Brit. Zoöl., Cla 4; "the capriciousne of a sickly heart," Irving, Sketch-Book, p. 94.-2. Unsteadine ; liablene to sudden changes; irregularity: as, the capriciousne of fortune. Capricorn (kap'ri-kôrn), n. [F. Capricorne = It. Capric or no (=Sp. Pg. Capricornio, after ML. Capricornium); ML. capricornium, the winter solstice), lit. 'goat-horned' (and hence in ML. capric or nus, a steinbok, ibex), N • Deneb Algedi The Constellation of Capricorn, according to ancient descriptions and figures. part like a goat and the hind part like a fish. Its symbol is S.-21. [l. c.] An ibex; a steinbok. bas a steinbok, Evelyn, Diary (1646), p. 189. which animal, he told us, was frequently kill'd among the mountaines. Capricorn beetles, beetles of the family Cerambycidæ (which see). - Tropic of Capricorn. See tropic. capricornifył (kap-ri-kor'ni-fi), v . t. [ corn (with allusion to horn , v.) + -i- fy .] To horn; cuckold. [Low.] caprid (kap'rid), a. Of or pertaining to the Capridæ or Caprina; relating to a goat; hircine. Capridæl (kap'ri-dē), n. pl. [NL., Capridæ (kap'ri-dē), n. pl. Same as Caproidæ. caprificate (kap'ri-fi-kāt), v. t.; pret. and pp. caprificated, ppr. caprificating. [L. caprifi cat us, pp. of cap rif i care: see caprify.] To ripen by caprification; caprify. caprification (kapri-fi-kā'shon), n. [ It consists in suspending branches of the wild fig (see caprifig ) in the cultivated trees, and subjecting the fruit to the attacks of the gall-insects which are thus introduced. The practice is one of great antiquity, but, though still fol. lowed in many localities, is of very doubtful utility. Caprification is also effected by planting an occasional wild fig among the others. In some portions of France S. Butler, Hudibras, III. 1. 310. the same object is attained by touching a drop of oil to I am too great a sufferer, Abus'd as you have been b' a witch, But conjur'd int' a worse capritch . caprimulgine the orifice of the fruit, by which its ripening is hastened nearly a week.