grand cape

noun

grand ca·pe

-ˈkā(ˌ)pē,

-ˈkä(ˌ)pā

English law

: a writ issued in the now obsolete real actions for the recovery of land on the failure of the defendant tenant in possession to make an appearance

Word History

Etymology

Anglo-French graunt cape (partial translation of Medieval Latin cape magnum), from graunt, grand large + cape any of several writs including the grand cape and the petit cape, from Medieval Latin, from Latin cape (the first word in these writs), 2d person singular imperative of capere to take