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Taper vs Caper - What's the difference?

taper | caper |

As nouns the difference between taper and caper

is that taper is a slender wax candle; a small lighted wax candle; hence, a small light or taper can be (weaving) one who operates a tape machine while caper is a frolicsome leap or spring; a skip; a jump, as in mirth or dancing; a prank or caper can be a vessel formerly used by the dutch; privateer or caper can be the pungent grayish green flower bud of the european and oriental caper (capparis spinosa ), which is pickled and eaten or caper can be (scotland) the capercaillie.

As verbs the difference between taper and caper

is that taper is to make thinner or narrower at one end while caper is to leap or jump about in a sprightly manner; to cut capers; to skip; to spring; to prance; to dance.

taper

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) taper, from (etyl) .

Noun

(en noun)
  • A slender wax candle; a small lighted wax candle; hence, a small light.
  • * ~1603 , William Shakespeare, ''Othello, Act I, scene I, line 157:
  • strike on the tinder, ho!/ Give me a taper .
  • * 1913 ,
  • Love used to carry a bow, you know,
    But now he carries a taper ;
    It is either a length of wax aglow,
    Or a twist of lighted paper.
  • A tapering form; gradual diminution of thickness and/or cross section in an elongated object
  • the taper of a spire.
    The legs of the table had a slight taper to them.
  • A thin stick used for lighting candles, either a wax-coated wick or a slow-burning wooden rod.
  • Derived terms
    * taperwise

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To make thinner or narrower at one end.
  • * 1851 ,
  • Though true cylinders without — within, the villanous green goggling glasses deceitfully tapered downwards to a cheating bottom.
  • To diminish gradually.
  • Derived terms
    * taper off
    Synonyms
    * narrow

    Etymology 2

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (weaving) One who operates a tape machine.
  • Someone who works with tape or tapes.
  • Anagrams

    * ----

    caper

    English

    (wikipedia caper)

    Etymology 1

    Shortening of capriole.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A frolicsome leap or spring; a skip; a jump, as in mirth or dancing; a prank.
  • A crime, especially theft, or a narrative about such a crime.
  • Derived terms
    * cut a caper

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To leap or jump about in a sprightly manner; to cut capers; to skip; to spring; to prance; to dance.
  • Etymology 2

    From (etyl) kaper.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A vessel formerly used by the Dutch; privateer.
  • Etymology 3

    From (etyl) capparis.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The pungent grayish green flower bud of the European and Oriental caper (Capparis spinosa ), which is pickled and eaten.
  • A plant of the genus Capparis .
  • Synonyms
    * caper bush, caper tree, caperberry
    Derived terms
    * caperberry

    Etymology 4

    Shortening of capercaillie.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (Scotland) The capercaillie.
  • Anagrams

    * * * ----