‖ capriccio
(kaˈprittʃo)
Also 7 caprichio, capritio, 7–8 capricio.
[a. It. capriccio sudden start, motion, or freak, app. f. capro goat, as if ‘the skip or frisk of a goat’ (in Sp. capricho):—L. type *capriceus. (For the sense cf. capriole.)]
1. A sudden sportive or fantastic motion; a prank, trick, caper.
| 1665 Glanvill Sceps. Sci. Addr. 16 The shifts, windings, and unexpected Caprichios of distressed Nature. 1693 Bentley Atheism, Boyle Lect. v. 9 All the various Machins and Utensils would now and then play odd Pranks and Capricio's quite contrary to their proper Structures. 1761 Sterne Tr. Shandy (1802) I. xxiii. 117 To have..viewed the soul stark naked, watched her loose in her frisks, her gambols, her capricios. 1823 Lamb Elia Ser. ii. v. (1865) 267 Magnificent were thy capriccios on this globe of earth, Robert William Elliston! |
† 2. = caprice 1. Obs.
| 1601 Shakes. All's Well ii. iii. 310 Will this Caprichio hold in thee, art sure? a 1634 Chapman To Pan, In quite oppos'de capriccios. 1686 W. de Britaine Hum. Prud. §xx. 92 The Capricio's of Fortune. 1690 Locke Hum. Und. iv. xvi. §11 A thousand odd Reasons, or Caprichio's, Men's Minds are acted by. 1794 Mathias Purs. Lit. (1798) 379 Another little capriccio of..the late Adam Smith. 1824 Scott Redgauntlet Let. v, Folks who..partake of their fantastic capriccios. |
3. A thing or work of fancy; = caprice 2.
| 1678 Cudworth Intell. Syst. i. iii, [They] look upon the plastick life of nature as a figment or phantastick Capritio. 1824 Heber Jrnl. (ed. 2) II. xxi. 353 It is a mere capriccio, with no merit except its carving. 1873 Symonds Grk. Poets xi. 390 These exquisite little capricci, engraved by Greek artists upon gems. |
b. Music. A name variously applied (see Grove s.v.) but usually denoting a composition of lively character, and more or less free in form.
| 1696 Phillips, Capriccio's are pieces of Music, Poetry, and Painting, wherein the force of Imagination has better success than observation of the Rules of Art. 1789 Wolcott (P. Pindar) Subj. Painters 42 Still is that voice, of late so strong, That many a sweet Capriccio sung. 1845 E. Holmes Mozart 155 This is not a prelude..but a capriccio to try a piano. 1882 Statham in Grove Dict. Mus. I. 225/1 His next published work, the ‘Capriccio in D minor’. |