Cut capers
Meaning
To behave in a lively, playful, or foolish manner, often in a mischievous way.
Origin
The phrase "cut capers" springs from the graceful, yet often erratic, leaps of a goat. Its linguistic roots trace back to the Italian word "capriolare," meaning "to leap like a goat" (from capra, meaning goat). This energetic, bounding image transformed into "caper" in 16th-century English, first describing a lively, irregular dance step, often performed with theatrical flair. To "cut a caper" meant to execute such a spirited, playful jump, often out of sheer exuberance. This vivid, physical act quickly transcended the dance floor, eventually coming to describe any form of frolicsome, foolish, or high-spirited behavior, retaining the sense of someone full of energy, perhaps a touch mischievous, bounding through life like a playful kid goat.
Examples
- The children were so excited for the holiday that they spent the morning cutting capers in the living room.
- During the office party, John, after a few drinks, started cutting capers and telling outlandish jokes.