clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Caparison

Just the other day, during a baseball game, I had to explain to Ms. Jeff the difference between Lucas Luetge and Josh Lueke. Also, just the other day, as part of this series, we featured the word "agley", which is like "ugly" with the emphasis on the other syllable. This introduction is establishing the fact that some words sound similar to other words that are completely different words! What an interesting and groundbreaking concept!

Today's word sounds similar to another word that is a completely different word. Today's word is "caparison", which is pronounced like "comparison" except with the obvious adjustment I won't specifically point out because it's just that obvious.

Person 1: /walking in Paris
Person 2: /walking in Paris
Person 1: Hey look, the Eiffel Tower!
Person 2: No shit

Caparison has one specific definition I won't use because it has to do with horses, and I don't know how to tie horses to baseball. It also has another definition that I think I'm more able to tie to baseball. That definition:

rich and sumptuous clothing or equipment.

An attempted example sentence:

You could dress him in the finest catching caparison - kip leather glove, top-of-the-line chest protector - and still Miguel Olivo wouldn't be able to block a ball in the dirt.

But he'd look good. And that's really what matters, isn't it? One is active as a catcher but a fraction of the time. One's appearance as a catcher is constant. It's simple arithmetic.