# kappen
## Danish
### Noun

kappen c
* definite singular of kappe

## Dutch
### Pronunciation

* Audio:(file)
* Rhymes: -ɑpən

### Etymology 1

From Middle Dutch cappen. Further origin unsettled. Apparently related to German Low German kappen (“to clip, cut”), German kappen (“to clip, cut”), English chap and chop; thus it would also be distantly related to tjappen. The slang sense may have a distinct (unknown) etymology.

#### Verb

kappen
* (transitive) to chop, as with an axe
* (transitive) to cut down, fell (e.g. a tree)
* (figuratively, intransitive) (in kappen op ...) to criticize
* (colloquial, intransitive) to cease, give up, stop
* (slang) to talk; notably
** (intransitive) to plead
** (transitive) to speak (a) slang

##### Derived terms

* gekap
* kapbeitel
* kaphamer
* kapmes
* afkappen
* loskappen
* uitkappen

##### Descendants

* Afrikaans: kap
* Berbice Creole Dutch: kapu
* Negerhollands: kap, kappen
* Skepi Creole Dutch: kap, cap
* → Papiamentu: kap
* → Saterland Frisian: kappe
* → Sranan Tongo: kapu, kappe
** → Caribbean Javanese: kapu, ngapu

### Etymology 2

From kap (“bonnet, hood, cap”) +‎ -en. Women used to wear bonnets and caps, but these often left part of the hair uncovered; therefore kappen came to be used of the styling of head and hair in general, and was soon also generalized to males. The modern use specifically for cutting hair must have developed in part through association with etymology 1 above.

#### Verb

kappen
* (transitive) to fit with a hairstyle or headdress
** (transitive) to cut (someone's) hair and model it
** (transitive) to dress (someone) with a bonnet, hood, cap
* (transitive) to cover (something) with a (heavy) hood, casing etc.
* (transitive, figuratively) to trick (someone), play a prank on .

##### Derived terms

* haarkappen
* kapper
* kapsel
* verkappen

### Etymology 3

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

#### Verb

kappen
* (transitive) to have offspring, especially piglets

##### Alternative forms

* kabben

##### Related terms

* kabbelen

### Etymology 4

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

#### Noun

kappen
* plural of kap

### Anagrams

* knappe

## German
### Etymology

17th century, from Middle Low German kappen, from Middle Dutch cappen (“to chop”), perhaps a borrowing from Romansch and from Medieval Latin cappare (“to cut off”), from Vulgar Latin *cappo, from Latin capo (“castrated male chicken”). Compare Alemannic German (Alsatian) kchapfen (“to chop, mince”).

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈkapən/, [ˈkapən], [ˈkapm̩]
* Audio:(file)

### Verb

kappen (weak, third-person singular present kappt, past tense kappte, past participle gekappt, auxiliary haben)
* to cut down so as to make unusable; to cut off; to interrupt
    Die zurückziehenden Truppen hatten Befehl, alle Strommasten zu kappen.The withdrawing troops had been commanded to cut down all utility poles.

#### Conjugation

$^1$Rare except in very formal contexts; alternative in würde normally preferred.

### Further reading

* “kappen” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
* “kappen” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon
* “kappen” in Duden online

## Norwegian Bokmål
### Alternative forms

* kappa

### Noun

kappen m or f
* definite masculine singular of kappe