n. [ From Capsicum. ] (Chem.) A colorless crystalline substance extracted from the Capsicum annuum, and giving off vapors of intense acridity. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The top sheaf of a stack of grain: (fig.) the crowning or finishing part of a thing. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ From Capsicum. ] (Chem.) A red liquid or soft resin extracted from various species of capsicum. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ From Capsicum. ] (Chem.) A volatile alkaloid extracted from Capsicum annuum or from capsicin. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ NL., fr. L. capsa box, chest. ] (Bot.) A genus of plants of many species, producing capsules or dry berries of various forms, which have an exceedingly pungent, biting taste, and when ground form the red or Cayenne pepper of commerce. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The most important species are Capsicum baccatum or bird pepper, Capsicum fastigiatum or chili pepper, Capsicum frutescens or spur pepper (from which tabasco is obtained), Capsicum chinense, which includes the fiery-hot habanero pepper, and Capsicum annuum or Guinea pepper, which includes the bell pepper, the jalapeno pepper, the cayenne pepper, and other common garden varieties. The fruit is much used, both in its green and ripe state, in pickles and in cookery. These contain varying levels of the substance capsaicin (C18H27O3N), which gives the peppers their hot taste. The habanero is about 25-50 times hotter than the jalapeno according to a scale developed by Wilbur Scoville in 1912. See also Cayenne pepper, pepper and https://web.archive.org/web/20090312013237/http://www.chili-pepper-plants.com/. [ 1913 Webster + PJC ]

3. Any plant of the genus Capsicum (of the Solanaceae family, which are unrelated to Piper), and its fruit; red pepper; chili pepper; as, the bell pepper and the jalapeno pepper (both Capsicum annuum) and the habanero pepper (Capsicum chinense); . [ 1913 Webster + PJC ]

n. a natural family comprising the leaf bugs.
Syn. -- Miridae, family Miridae, family Capsidae. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

v. t. & i. [ imp. & p. p. Capsized p. pr. & vb. n. Capsizing. ] [ Cf. Sp. cabecear to nod, pitch, capuzar, chapuzar, to sink (a vessel) by the head; both fr. L. caput head. ] To upset or overturn, as a vessel or other body. [ 1913 Webster ]

But what if carrying sail capsize the boat? Byron. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. An upset or overturn. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Gun.) A metal covering plate which passes over the trunnions of a cannon, and holds it in place. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. cabestan, fr. Sp. cabestrante, cabrestante, fr. cabestrar to bind with a halter, fr. cabestrohalter, fr. L. capistrum halter, fr. capere to hold (see Capacious); or perh. the Spanish is fr. L. caper goat + stans, p. pr. of stare to stand; cf. F. chèvre she-goat, also a machine for raising heavy weights. ] A vertical cleated drum or cylinder, revolving on an upright spindle, and surmounted by a drumhead with sockets for bars or levers. It is much used, especially on shipboard, for moving or raising heavy weights or exerting great power by traction upon a rope or cable, passing around the drum. It is operated either by steam power or by a number of men walking around the capstan, each pushing on the end of a lever fixed in its socket. [ Sometimes spelt Capstern, but improperly. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Capstan bar, one of the long bars or levers by which the capstan is worked; a handspike.. --
To pawl the capstan, to drop the pawls so that they will catch in the notches of the pawl ring, and prevent the capstan from turning back. --
To rig the capstan, to prepare the for use, by putting the bars in the sockets. --
To surge the capstan, to slack the tension of the rope or cable wound around it. [ 1913 Webster ]