capital
196
out checks to see if people who are APPLYing for jobs such as teaching have COMMITted any crimes in the past. It also runs the computers and administrative services for the CONGESTION CHARGING system in London.
cap·i·tal¹ /'kæpɪtl/ n 1 [C] a town which is the centre of government of a country or other political unit: Paris is the capital of France. | What is the capital of California? | (fig.) Hollywood is the capital of the movie industry. | Can you name all the state capitals? 2 [S;U] wealth, especially money used to produce more wealth or for starting a business: You need a lot of capital to start up a new newspaper. | The company was started with a capital of £10,000. | a successful firm that offers investors a high return on capital | They have a working capital (=money that can be used in the course of business activity) of £20,000. | What we need now is a big injection of capital. → see also VENTURE CAPITAL 3 [C] a letter in its large form, especially one at the beginning of a word; a capital letter: The word DICTIONARY is printed here in capitals. → compare LOWER CASE; see also UPPER CASE 4 make capital (out) of to use to your advantage: The opposition parties are sure to make political capital out of the government's difficulties.
capital² adj 1 [A] punishable by death: Murder can be a capital offence. → see also CAPITAL PUNISHMENT 2 [A] (of a letter) written or printed in its large form (such as A, B, C rather than a, b, c) → compare LOWER CASE 3 [A] of or concerning capital in the form of money or property: a big programme of capital investment to modernize the railways 4 old-fash excellent: a capital dinner | That's capital! 5 ... with a capital ... trouble with a capital T, fast with a capital F etc used with any word in order to emphasize that you are talking about an extreme type of something, for example trouble, or that something is done in an extreme way: I was in trouble, big trouble with a capital T. | A little exercise is good for you, but it doesn't have to be exercise with a capital E. Just get out and walk somewhere. | These new computer chips are fast with a capital F.
capital³ n the top part of a COLUMN
capital 'assets n [P] the machines, buildings, and other property belonging to a company
capital ex'penditure n [U] the buying of machinery and other long lasting ASSETS which will be used in the production process of a company over a long period of time
capital 'gains n [P] profits made by selling possessions
capital 'gains tax n a tax paid on profits made by selling possessions. For example, if someone buys a building, uses it for business, then sells it again, they must pay capital gains tax on the profit that they make from the sale.
'capital ,goods n [P] goods such as machines which are made for the purpose of producing other goods → compare CONSUMER GOODS
capital-in'tensive adj (of an industry) needing a lot of CAPITAL compared with its other needs, such as workers → compare LABOUR-INTENSIVE
cap·i·tal·is·m /'kæpɪtl-ɪzəm/ n [U] a system of production and trade based on the private ownership of wealth, free buying and selling, and little industrial activity by the government → compare COMMUNISM, SOCIALISM
cap·i·tal·ist¹ /'kæpɪtl-st/ n often derog 1 a person who supports capitalism 2 a person who owns or controls much wealth (CAPITAL) and especially who lends it to businesses, banks etc to produce more wealth
capitalist² also cap·i·tal·is·tic /ˌkæpɪtl'ɪstɪk/ adj 1 often derog owning or controlling a large amount of wealth: the capitalist class 2 practising or supporting capitalism: the capitalist countries of the West | a capitalist economy | the capitalist press (=newspapers)
cap·i·tal·ize also -ise BrE /'kæpɪtl-aɪz/ v [T] 1 to write with a CAPITAL letter 2 to supply money to (a firm) to allow it to operate: The bank has promised to capitalize our new business. | The company is seriously under-capitalized. (=does not have enough capital to operate effectively) 3 [tat] tech to calculate the value of (a business), based on the value of its shares or its earnings —ization /ˌkæpɪtl-aɪ'zeɪʃən||-ə'zeɪ-/ n [S;U] (a) capitalization of £50 million
capitalize on sthg. phr v [T] to use to your advantage: She capitalized on his mistake and won the game.
,capital 'levy n BrE a tax on private or industrial wealth (CAPITAL) paid to the government, usually in addition to income tax
,capital 'punishment n [U] punishment by death according to law; the death PENALTY
Capital punishment was used in the UK until 1965, and is still used in some states in the US. In the US, people used to be EXECUTED in the ELECTRIC CHAIR, but now they are normally killed by LETHAL INJECTION in which a poison is INJECTED into the body. Politicians still disagree about whether capital punishment should be allowed. Some people believe it is morally wrong to kill a criminal, no matter what they have done. Others believe that capital punishment is morally right if it is used for punishing murderers. In the US, people who do not support the death penalty often protest outside the prison where a criminal is about to be executed.
Capital 'Radio a radio station in London that mainly broadcasts popular music, but also has news programmes and information about events in London. It also has a separate station called 'Capital Gold', which plays older popular music.
,capital 'transfer ,tax n [C;U (often cap.)] BrE a tax paid when one receives money, either as a gift or when someone dies
cap·i·ta·tion /ˌkæpɪ'teɪʃən/ n a tax paid or payment made at the same fixed amount for each person
Cap·i·tol, the /'kæpɪtəl/
the Capitol
1 the building in Washington, D.C. where the US CONGRESS meets 2 the building that each US state has in its capital city, where government officers meet to discuss new laws and make decisions for that state
Capitol 'Hill 1 a name for the US Congress, used especially in newspapers and news broadcasts: Democratic lawmakers on Capitol Hill will resist pressure to accept changes to the bill. 2 the hill in Washington, D.C. where the Capitol building stands
ca·pit·u·late /kə'pɪtʃʊleɪt/ v [I(to)] 1 to accept defeat, usually on agreed conditions; SURRENDER 2 to accept or agree often unwillingly; stop opposing: He finally capitulated and allowed his daughter to go on holiday with her friends —lation /kəˌpɪtʃʊ'leɪʃən/ n [C;U]
Cap'n Crunch /ˌkæpən 'krʌntʃ/ trademark a type of sweet breakfast CEREAL which is popular especially with children in the US
ca·pon /'keɪpən||-pən, -pən/ n a male chicken with its sex organs removed to make it grow big and fat for eating
Ca·pone, Al /kə'pəʊn, æl/ (1899-1947) one of the most famous US GANGSTERS (=criminals who belong to a violent group). From 1925 to 1931 he was the leader of ORGANIZED CRIME in Chicago, and all the main criminals worked for him. Because he had a SCAR on his cheek he was sometimes called Scarface.
Ca·po·te, Truman /kə'pəʊti/ (1924-84) a US writer best known for his short story Breakfast at Tiffany's, which was made into a successful film, and for his book In Cold Blood in which he describes a true crime involving two men who murdered a whole family.
cap·puc·ci·no /ˌkæpʊ'tʃiːnəʊˌkɑ-/ n [C;U] (a cupful of) Italian coffee made with hot milk, and with chocolate powder on top
Ca·pri /kə'pri:/ an island near the city of Naples in southern Italy, which is a popular place for tourists
ca·price /kə'pri:s/ n 1 [C;U] (a) sudden often foolish change of mind or behaviour, usually without any real cause; sudden wish to have or do something; WHIM: the caprices of spoiled children/ (fig.) of the weather 2 [U] a tendency to have caprices