Slang dictionary
caping
[keyp-ing]
What does听肠补辫颈苍驳听mean?
A cape is a sleeveless garment, tied around the neck from everyone from bullfighters to superheroes. Caping is slang for “defending or supporting” someone, especially someone considered unworthy of it.
Where does caping come from?
The word cape, for the article of clothing, dates back to the 16th century, ultimately from a Spanish or Italian word for a sleeveless, cloak-like garment.
Caping听came to describe听matadors who used their capes to taunt a bull during a fight, e.g., he caped the bull.
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It’s unclear when caping took on its slang meaning of听“to defend or support someone,” but the slang evokes a cape-wearing superhero swooping in and saving someone from an attack.
Some have credited it to rapper E-40’s 1993 song “Captain Save A Hoe,” about acting like a superhero to win women. The song features the word听cape,听though it doesn’t use听caping as such.
Whatever its exact origins,听caping was established in black slang for “standing up for someone” by 2009. It is often used of people who are defending people considered unsavory in some way. It spread in the 2010s to other domains outside rap, from politics to sports.
鈥淪houted slurs鈥� but the quotable y鈥檃ll went with was 鈥楪et out of here鈥�
Y鈥檃ll be caping for white men and don鈥檛 even know it
— Sydney Cartier (@SydCartier)
Examples of caping
Who uses caping?
颁补辫颈苍驳听is used to describe when someone comes to the defense of a person considered indefensible, such as a bigot or sexual assailant. It’s used in the construction听to cape听for or听caping for someone.
Stop caping for racists, Mike. Don鈥檛 you want a career?
— Senator_Corleone (@JimmyA_Shook1s)
If you still caping for R Kelly, speak up so I can block you.
— Denny the Villain (@DennyVonDoom)
The slang caping is not to be confused with the taxidermy term听cape, which is听 the skinned hide of an animal, such as a deer, from its nose to the base of its neck or shoulders.
They are begging for it man…lol..bout whent an grabbed Jason's arrow starter kit an geta caping…lol
— From_tha_back (@FromMosley)
Note
This is not meant to be a formal definition of caping like most terms we define on Dictionary.com, but is rather an informal word summary that hopefully touches upon the key aspects of the meaning and usage of caping that will help our users expand their word mastery.