capitalizev.
/ˈkapᵻtl̩ʌɪz/, /ˈkapᵻtəlʌɪz/, U.S. /ˈkæpədlˌaɪz/ I. In the sense of capital n.2 1.
1. transitive. To write or print (a letter) as a capital; to begin (a word) with a capital letter; to write or print in capitals.
ΘΚΠ
society > communication > printing > manner or style of printing > style of printing [verb (transitive)] > print in capitals
capitalize1809
society > communication > writing > handwriting or style of > formation of letters > [verb (transitive)] > large or capital
capitalize1850
uncialize1883
1764 [implied in: Acc. Coll. New-Jersey 25 All these compositions before mentioned, are critically examined with respect to the language, orthography, pointing, capitalizing.].
1809 W. Cunningham Let. 23 Sept. in Corr. J. Adams & W. Cunningham (1823) xlix. 165 I capitalized the prophetic parts of the letter..and italicized the Latin.
1850 E. P. Whipple Ess. & Rev. II. 264 Capitalizing the names of abstract qualities.
1890 Phonetic Jrnl. 26 Some peculiarity in capitalising.
1944 H. L. Mencken in Amer. Speech 19 161 The New York Times announced in an editorial on March 7, 1930, that it would capitalize the word Negro thereafter.
1964 F. Bowers Bibliogr. & Textual Crit. vi. iv. 186 The single Q capitalization is also capitalized in F.
2006 U.S. News & World Rep. 2 Oct. 16/1 If—and let's capitalize that—IF the Democrats take back control of the House in the fall elections [etc.].
II. In the sense of capital n.2 3.
2. transitive. To convert (a periodical income or payment) into an equivalent capital sum; to compute or realize the present value of such a payment for a definite or indefinite length of time. Also spec. in Accounting, to reckon (a current outgoing) as though it were a capital asset on the basis of its expected earnings in the future, less any maintenance costs.
ΘΚΠ
society > trade and finance > stocks and shares > deal in stocks and shares [verb (transitive)] > specific operations
subscribe1618
to take up1655
to sell out1721
to take in1721
to take up1740
pool?1780
capitalize1797
put1814
feed1818
to vote (the) stock (or shares)1819
corner1836
to sell short1852
promote1853
recapitalize1856
refund1857
float1865
water1865
margin1870
unload1870
acquire1877
maintain1881
syndicate1882
scalp1886
pyramid1888
underwrite1889
oversubscribe1891
joint-stock1894
wash1895
write1908
mark1911
split1927
marry1931
stag1935
unwind1958
short1959
preplace1966
unitize1970
bed and breakfast1974
index-link1974
warehouse1977
daisy-chain1979
strip1981
greenmail1984
pull1986
society > trade and finance > financial dealings > types of money-dealing > [verb (transitive)] > convert into cash or capital
negotiate1671
realize1720
capitalize1797
cash1811
encash1861
bank1868
unfreeze1933
strip1972
society > trade and finance > management of money > keeping accounts > keep accounts [verb (transitive)] > treat running costs as future assets
capitalize1972
1797 [implied in: D. Wakefield Observ. Credit & Finances Great Brit. vi. 45 Including as debt now owing what has been redeemed by the..capitalizing of the annuities.].
1838 tr. Royal Message to Cortes in Times 2 Apr. 4/5 The government is..authorized to ‘capitalize’ the interests of loans contracted abroad until the 1st of January, 1841, at which period they will commence to be paid by twelfths.
1856 Times 22 Jan. As to the project of capitalizing incomes, that is another affair.
1917 Trans. Amer. Soc. Civil Engineers 81 1515 The roundness of these sums suggests that they were not arrived at by mathematically capitalizing earnings.
1972 Nature 28 Jan. 183/1 It may be proper to capitalize the cost of research and development.
2002 Computer Weekly 3 Oct. 18/1 In our company for one project we capitalised all hardware and software but expensed the money we spent on consultants.
2002 Derbyshire Life & Countryside Nov. 44/1 (advt.) The courts are probably going to look at what your reasonable income needs are and capitalise the maintenance payments accordingly.
3. transitive. To convert (something) into a capital asset or capital sum; to compute or realize the current value of (something).
ΚΠ
1835 Times 25 Sept. 3/2 The essential principle is this—to capitalize in estates the revenue which may be necessary for their suitable maintenance.
1885 Sir E. Kay in Law Times Rep. 52 369/2 The company were authorised..to capitalise the reserved fund.
1913 Sat. Evening Post (Philadelphia) 22 Feb. 40/2 One company held a monopoly on the limited fields of coking coal. Should it not, after the immemorial custom of business, capitalize the coming value of that monopoly?
1973 Times 2 Oct. 21/3 This is a reverse takeover with GB capitalized at £12.9m against BSG's £8.8m.
2000 Times 30 Aug. i. 25/3 A deal between the German exchange and LSE..would create a company capitalised at £4.2 billion.
4. Originally U.S. In extended use: to profit by (something); to turn to one's advantage, turn to account.
a. transitive.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > advantage > be advantageous or beneficial to [verb (transitive)] > take advantage of > turn to account
lucrify1564
improve1604
to turn to account1679
to make much (also little, something, nothing, etc.) of1707
avail1785
to make a good thing of (also out of)1800
utilize1807
exploiter1818
to make capital out of1840
capitalize1869
1869 in Trans. Kansas Hist. Soc. (1900) 6 64 To capitalize this land in the hands of speculators.
1927 Harper's Mag. Oct. 546/1 They both wirelessed..Lindbergh. Tried to harness him to their own carts. Wanted to capitalize his personality.
1935 Punch 15 May 578/3 I condemn the advertisement..which asserts that the makers..have ‘capitalised this mother-instinct’.
2007 M. Yamamoto & D. T. Curiel in K. K. Hunt et al. Gene Therapy for Cancer ii. xii. 207 Capitalizing the tolerability of this locale, we successfully introduced relatively large proteins.
b. intransitive. With on or upon.
ΚΠ
1922 Rotarian Aug. 103 The club idea, when originally launched, capitalized on the open forum or dinner or luncheon meeting.
1953 Encounter Nov. 9/1 The Tokyo Evening News..capitalises on the time-difference between Japan, America, and Europe to be up-to-the-minute with the news.
1966 L. Harrisberger Engineersmanship vii. 108 The noble art of Kludgemanship capitalizes upon the design engineer's affinity for asininity.
2009 Daily Tel. 30 Mar. 3/1 The Light Blues, who won the coin-toss and opted for the Surrey station, led by half a length. However, they could not capitalise on their advantage.
5. transitive. Chiefly U.S. To supply capital for (something); to invest in (something) with capital.
ΘΚΠ
society > trade and finance > financial dealings > types of money-dealing > [verb (transitive)] > provide with capital
stock1615
finance1783
financier1873
capitalize1878
fund1900
angel1904
bankroll1915
1878 N. Amer. Rev. Sept. 241 They should teach us to capitalize our philanthropy to the utmost, and fund it freely in deeds of active beneficence.
1897 Daily News 13 Mar. 2/2 This Company is very moderately capitalised at £80,000 in Shares of £1 each.
1948 Chicago Tribune 18 Aug. iii. 5/5 The Canadian unit..will be capitalized at 5,000 shares of $100 par value stock.
1970 Sci. Amer. Mar. 35/2 A conglomerate can..apply the debt capacity of safe, mature businesses to capitalize rapidly growing but unstable ventures.
1990 J. Eberts & T. Ilott My Indecision is Final viii. 84 We jointly capitalized a new company, Filmcrest International.
2007 N.Y. Times (National ed.) 9 Dec. ii. 13/5 His job also involved making the unwieldy play, which would eventually be capitalized at about $2.5 million, less budget busting.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2012; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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