cap of maintenance

Maintenance \Main"te*nance\, n. [OF. maintenance. See
   {Maintain}.]
   1. The act of maintaining; sustenance; support; defense;
      vindication.
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            Whatsoever is granted to the church for God's honor
            and the maintenance of his service, is granted to
            God.                                  --South.
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   2. That which maintains or supports; means of sustenance;
      supply of necessaries and conveniences.
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            Those of better fortune not making learning their
            maintenance.                          --Swift.
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   3. (Crim. Law) An officious or unlawful intermeddling in a
      cause depending between others, by assisting either party
      with money or means to carry it on. See {Champerty}.
      --Wharton.
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   4. Those actions required for the care of machinery, a
      building, etc., to keep it clean and in proper functioning
      condition, and to prevent or forestall damage due to
      normal use.
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   5. Payments, such as child support or alimony, to a dependent
      child not living with one or to a divorced wife.
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   {Cap of maintenance}. See under {Cap}.
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Cap \Cap\ (k[a^]p), n. [OE. cappe, AS. c[ae]ppe, cap, cape,
   hood, fr. LL, cappa, capa; perhaps of Iberian origin, as
   Isidorus of Seville mentions it first: "Capa, quia quasi
   totum capiat hominem; it. capitis ornamentum." See 3d {Cape},
   and cf. 1st {Cope}.]
   1. A covering for the head; esp.
      (a) One usually with a visor but without a brim, for men
          and boys;
      (b) One of lace, muslin, etc., for women, or infants;
      (c) One used as the mark or ensign of some rank, office,
          or dignity, as that of a cardinal.
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   2. The top, or uppermost part; the chief.
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            Thou art the cap of all the fools alive. --Shak.
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   3. A respectful uncovering of the head.
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            He that will give a cap and make a leg in thanks.
                                                  --Fuller.
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   4. (Zool.) The whole top of the head of a bird from the base
      of the bill to the nape of the neck.
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   5. Anything resembling a cap in form, position, or use; as:
      (a) (Arch.) The uppermost of any assemblage of parts; as,
          the cap of column, door, etc.; a capital, coping,
          cornice, lintel, or plate.
      (b) Something covering the top or end of a thing for
          protection or ornament.
      (c) (Naut.) A collar of iron or wood used in joining
          spars, as the mast and the topmast, the bowsprit and
          the jib boom; also, a covering of tarred canvas at the
          end of a rope.
      (d) A percussion cap. See under {Percussion}.
      (e) (Mech.) The removable cover of a journal box.
      (f) (Geom.) A portion of a spherical or other convex
          surface.
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   6. A large size of writing paper; as, flat cap; foolscap;
      legal cap.
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   {Cap of a cannon}, a piece of lead laid over the vent to keep
      the priming dry; -- now called an apron.

   {Cap in hand}, obsequiously; submissively.

   {Cap of liberty}. See {Liberty cap}, under {Liberty}.

   {Cap of maintenance}, a cap of state carried before the kings
      of England at the coronation. It is also carried before
      the mayors of some cities.

   {Cap money}, money collected in a cap for the huntsman at the
      death of the fox.

   {Cap paper}.
      (a) A kind of writing paper including flat cap, foolscap,
          and legal cap.
      (b) A coarse wrapping paper used for making caps to hold
          commodities.

   {Cap rock} (Mining), The layer of rock next overlying ore,
      generally of barren vein material.

   {Flat cap}, cap See {Foolscap}.

   {Forage cap}, the cloth undress head covering of an officer
      of soldier.

   {Legal cap}, a kind of folio writing paper, made for the use
      of lawyers, in long narrow sheets which have the fold at
      the top or "narrow edge."

   {To set one's cap}, to make a fool of one. (Obs.) --Chaucer.

   {To set one's cap for}, to try to win the favor of a man with
      a view to marriage. [Colloq.]
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