Make Your Point > Archived Issues > CAP-À-PIE

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explore the archives: To be armed cap-à-pie is to be armed head to toe, totally ready for a fight--whether it's a physical one or just an argument, a competition, or some other challenge. "Cap-à-pie" might remind you of another French term we looked at: "q__ v___." When you're on the q___ v____, you're on guard: watchful and ready for any attackers headed your way, literally or figuratively. Could you recall that phrase? make your point with... "CAP-À-PIE" "Cap-à-pie" is French for "head to foot." When you're armed cap-à-pie, you're either literally loaded up with armor and weapons from your head down to your feet, or, figuratively, you're totally prepared to deal with some kind of conflict or challenge. Pronunciation: Both "cap uh PEE" and "cap uh PYE" are correct. I recommend "cap uh PEE" because then you won't confuse your listeners into thinking you're talking about pie or the fraternity "Kappa Pi." Part of speech: Adverb. (Adverbs usually describe actions:  that is, they tell when, where, how, and to what extent something is being done. This particular adverb almost always appears in the phrase "armed cap-à-pie.") Other forms: none How to use it: Talk about someone who's armed cap-à-pie, perhaps with something, or someone who's armed himself or someone else cap-à-pie: "We're armed cap-à-pie with number 2 pencils and test-taking strategies; bring it on." "We've armed these players cap-à-pie with defensive and offensive skills."  You can be armed cap-à-pie for some upcoming conflict or challenge, or you can be armed cap-à-pie against some oncoming attack: "The kids are armed cap-à-pie for their exams." "The chess champion, armed cap-à-pie against every strategy in the book, waits calmly for the game to start." Could you use this adverb outside the phrase "armed cap-à-pie"? Sure, but hardly anyone does. You could say that you've been given a makeover cap-à-pie, or that your growing brother is now the spitting image of your father, cap-à-pie. But again, these uses are very rare. Personally I'd stick to the expected phrase.  examples: I'd been armed cap-à-pie for the audience's questions after the presentation, but these were brief, few, and tame. If your essay's thesis is bizarre or unconventional, you'd better arm it cap-à-pie against anticipated objections. study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "cap-à-pie" means when you can explain it without saying "100% prepared" or "protected head to toe." try it out: Think of a game or competition that you're really good at, or a topic that you can argue about really well, and fill in the blanks: "If we're going to _____, that's great--I'm armed cap-à-pie." Example: "If we're going to play Unspeakable Words again, that's great--I'm armed cap-à-pie." before you review: Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first. When it comes to word roots, everybody knows what some of them mean, like “ambi/amphi” (“both”) and “circum” (“around”) and “hetero” (“different”). This knowledge helps you explain why words like “automobile” and “autobiography” look similar—in this case, it’s because they both involve the concept of “self.” But what about some of the less obvious roots? Could you explain, for example, why “contain” looks so much like “sustain” by defining “tain”? This month, we're exploring the meanings underlying common words you know. You can usually figure these out by looking for an extremely basic concept common to all the words in each group. We’ll start with easier, more obvious roots and move on to trickier ones as the month goes on! Yesterday's question:  In abstract, attract, detract, retract, subtract, tractor, and traction, what does “tract” mean?  Answer: To pull (or to draw, which is pretty much the same thing). Try this one today: In appreciate, depreciate, and precious, what does “prec” mean?  review today's word: 1. The closest opposite of CAP-À-PIE is A. DEFENSELESS B. DEFENSIBLE C. DEFENSIVE 2.  The same old insults now _____, armed as she is, cap-à-pie, with _____. A. have no effect .. surety and self-possession B. sting even more .. witty deflections C. sound hollow .. distractions Answers are below. a final word: To be a sponsor and send your own message to readers of this list, please contact Liesl at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. Disclaimer: Word meanings presented here are expressed in plain language and are limited to common, useful applications only. Readers interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words are encouraged to check a dictionary. Likewise, word meanings, usage, and pronunciations are limited to American English; these elements may vary across world Englishes. Answers to review questions: 1. A 2. A