▪ I. caparison
(kəˈpærɪsən)
Also 7 caparisson, -izon, 8 -ason.
[a. earlier F. caparasson, now capara{cced}on, a. Sp. caparazon, Pg. capara{cced}ão, according to Littré, an augm. of med.L. caparo chaperon (a sort of cape worn by old women, etc.), deriv. of capa cape. See also cooperison.]
1. A cloth or covering spread over the saddle or harness of a horse, often gaily ornamented; housings, trappings; also of other beasts of burden.
| 1602 W. Fulbecke Pandectes 66 To esteeme..a horse by his trappinges and caparison. 1627 Lisander & Calista x. 210 Seeing him without any caparison or other coverture but his saddle. 1751 Johnson Rambl. No. 120 ¶6 He covered his horses with golden caparisons. 1845 Stocqueler Handbk. Brit. India (1854) 307 Elephants, with..rich caparisons, and gorgeously painted trunks. |
† b. A kind of defensive armour for a horse. Obs.
| 1598 Hakluyt Voy. I. 62 Some of them haue..caparisons for their horses made of leather, artificially doubled or trebled vpon their bodies. 1753 Chambers Cycl. s.v., Antiently, the caparasons were a kind of iron armour, wherewith horses were covered in battle. |
2. transf. The dress and ornaments of men and women: equipment, outfit. Also fig.
| 1598 Pasquill's Ret. 4 Spangled and trapt with a full caparison of the ornaments of this present age. 1611 Shakes. Wint. T. iv. iii. 27. 1634 Heywood Lanc. Witches iv. Wks. 1874 IV. 224 You have..furnisht her with all the Caparisons that she hath worne. 1749 Smollett Regicide iii. iv. (R.) My heart groanes Beneath the gay caparison. 1868 Milman St. Paul's vi. 112 A..rigidly restrictive caparison of the human mind. |
▪ II. caparison, v.
(kəˈpærɪsən)
[a. F. caparassone-r, f. the n.]
trans. To put trappings on; to trap, deck, harness. Also fig.
| 1594 Shakes. Rich. III, v. iii. 289 Come, bustle, bustle. Caparison my horse. a 1797 W. Mason Ep. Sir W. Chambers, O let the Muse attend thy march sublime And with thy prose caparison her rhyme. 1822 Byron Werner iv. i, He shall be straight caparison'd. |
Hence caˈparisoned ppl. a., caˈparisoning vbl. n. and ppl. a. caˈparisonment, rare.
| 1600 Shakes. A.Y.L. iii. ii. 205 Though I am caparison'd like a man. 1623 Sir F. Cottington in Ellis Orig. Lett. i. 284 III. 142. 1841 Elphinstone Hist. Ind. II. 343 Trains of caparisoned horses followed. |