capo

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capo1

ca·po¹

(kā′pō)

n. pl. ca·pos

A small movable bar placed across the fingerboard of a guitar or similar instrument so as to raise the pitch of all the strings uniformly.

[Italian capo (di tastiera), head (of the fingerboard), from Latin caput; see kaput- in Indo-European roots.]

ca·po²

(kä′pō, kăp′ō)

n. pl. ca·pos

The head of a branch of an organized crime syndicate.

[Italian, from Latin caput, head; see capo¹.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

capo

(ˈkeɪpəʊ; ˈkæpəʊ)

n, pl -pos

(Instruments) a device fitted across all the strings of a guitar, banjo, etc, so as to raise the pitch of each string simultaneously. Also called: capo tasto Compare barré

[from Italian capo tasto head stop]

capo

(ˈkæpəʊ; Italian ˈkapo)

n, pl -pos

(Law) the presumed title of a Mafia leader

[Italian: head]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

ca•po¹

(ˈkeɪ poʊ)

n., pl. -pos.

any of various devices for a guitar, lute, banjo, etc., that when clamped or screwed down across the strings at a given fret will raise each string a corresponding number of half tones.

[1875–80; < Italian, shortening of capotasto=capo head (see capo²) + tasto fingerboard, fret]

ca•po²

(ˈkɑ poʊ, ˈkæp oʊ)

n., pl. -pos.

the chief of a branch of the Mafia.

[1960–65; < Italian: head, leader < Vulgar Latin *capum for Latin caput; compare chief]

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Noun

capo - the head of a branch of an organized crime syndicate

chief, top dog, head - a person who is in charge; "the head of the whole operation"

Translations

capodastro

capodastre

capo

n → Kapodaster m

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

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References in classic literature ?

I'm Allegro da Capo, a very famous man; Just find another, high or low, to match me if you can.

Da Capo is certainly a strange person--isn't he?--and p'r'aps he's the only one of his kind in all the world."

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In the last verse of the first paragraph, however, after hailing his deepest thought, he cries: "Disgust, disgust, disgust!" We know Nietzsche's ideal man was that "world-approving, exuberant, and vivacious creature, who has not only learnt to compromise and arrange with that which was and is, but wishes to have it again, AS IT WAS AND IS, for all eternity insatiably calling out da capo, not only to himself, but to the whole piece and play" (see Note on Chapter XLII.).

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Hereupon a glorious shouting, a rapping, a jingling, a clattering, and a shouting, with plentiful da capo, pleasanter than a strain of sublimest music in the ears that receive such a tribute for the first time.

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*On the fair Capo Deucato, and sprang So eagerly around about to hang Upon the flying footsteps of -- deep pride -

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These people came to see them without fail every year, usually at the capo d'anno, and of old her aunt used to make them some little present--her aunt and she together: small things that she, Miss Tita, made herself, like paper lampshades or mats for the decanters of wine at dinner or those woolen things that in cold weather were worn on the wrists.

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Capo Rosso has been a regular around Haydock Park this season, winning the Countrywide Freight Nursery last month.

Capo Rosso and Ballista give best hope of glory; Jockey Richard Kingscote is confident that horses with form at Haydock Park, the sponsor of our racing column, can give him winning chances at Newbury tomorrow

Capo described how he murdered mobster John "Johnny Boy" D'Amato for being gay.

Mafia tout dies from a heart attack; CRIME