Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Maintenance \Main"te*nance\, n. [OF. maintenance. See
   {Maintain}.]
   1. The act of maintaining; sustenance; support; defense;
      vindication.

            Whatsoever is granted to the church for God's honor
            and the maintenance of his service, is granted to
            God.                                  --South.

   2. That which maintains or supports; means of sustenance;
      supply of necessaries and conveniences.

            Those of better fortune not making learning their
            maintenance.                          --Swift.

   3. (Crim. Law) An officious or unlawful intermeddling in a
      cause depending between others, by assisting either party
      with money or means to carry it on. See {Champerty}.
      --Wharton.

   {Cap of maintenance}. See under {Cap}.

Cap \Cap\, n. [OE. cappe, AS. c[ae]ppe, cap, cape, hood, fr. LL,
   cappa, capa; perhaps of Iberian origin, as Isidorus of
   Seville mentions it first: ``Capa, quia quasi totum capiat
   hominem; it. capitis ornamentum.'' See 3d {Cape}, and cf. 1st
   {Cope}.]
   1. A covering for the head; esp.
      (a) One usually with a visor but without a brim, for men
          and boys;
      (b) One of lace, muslin, etc., for women, or infants;
      (c) One used as the mark or ensign of some rank, office,
          or dignity, as that of a cardinal.

   2. The top, or uppermost part; the chief.

            Thou art the cap of all the fools alive. --Shak.

   3. A respectful uncovering of the head.

            He that will give a cap and make a leg in thanks.
                                                  --Fuller.

   4. (Zo["o]l.) The whole top of the head of a bird from the
      base of the bill to the nape of the neck.

   5. Anything resembling a cap in form, position, or use; as:
      (a) (Arch.) The uppermost of any assemblage of parts; as,
          the cap of column, door, etc.; a capital, coping,
          cornice, lintel, or plate.
      (b) Something covering the top or end of a thing for
          protection or ornament.
      (c) (Naut.) A collar of iron or wood used in joining
          spars, as the mast and the topmast, the bowsprit and
          the jib boom; also, a covering of tarred canvas at the
          end of a rope.
      (d) A percussion cap. See under {Percussion}.
      (e) (Mech.) The removable cover of a journal box.
      (f) (Geom.) A portion of a spherical or other convex
          surface.

   6. A large size of writing paper; as, flat cap; foolscap;
      legal cap.

   {Cap of a cannon}, a piece of lead laid over the vent to keep
      the priming dry; -- now called an apron.

   {Cap in hand}, obsequiously; submissively.

   {Cap of liberty}. See {Liberty cap}, under {Liberty}.

   {Cap of maintenance}, a cap of state carried before the kings
      of England at the coronation. It is also carried before
      the mayors of some cities.

   {Cap money}, money collected in a cap for the huntsman at the
      death of the fox.

   {Cap paper}.
      (a) A kind of writing paper including flat cap, foolscap,
          and legal cap.
      (b) A coarse wrapping paper used for making caps to hold
          commodities.

   {Cap rock} (Mining), The layer of rock next overlying ore,
      generally of barren vein material.

   {Flat cap}, cap See {Foolscap}.

   {Forage cap}, the cloth undress head covering of an officer
      of soldier.

   {Legal cap}, a kind of folio writing paper, made for the use
      of lawyers, in long narrow sheets which have the fold at
      the top or ``narrow edge.''

   {To set one's cap}, to make a fool of one. (Obs.) --Chaucer.

   {To set one's cap for}, to try to win the favor of a man with
      a view to marriage. [Colloq.]