Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A warrant for arrest.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun In law, a writ in a civil action directing that the person of the defendant be taken into custody.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Low) A writ or process commanding the officer to take the body of the person named in it, that is, to arrest him; -- also called writ of capias.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English, from Medieval Latin capiās, from Latin, second person sing. present subjunctive of capere, to seize (from the first word of the writ); see kap- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin capiās ("you should seize, you are to seize"), from capiō ("to seize").

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Examples

  • [17] Of these renderings the subjoined may be taken as favorable specimens: -- "Breve originale, original sinne; capias, a catch to a sad tune; alias capias, another to the same (sad tune); habeas corpus, a trooper; capias ad satisfaciend., a hangman: latitat, bo-peep; nisi prius, first come first served; demurrer, hum and haw; scandal. magnat., down with the Lords."

    A Book About Lawyers John Cordy Jeaffreson 1866

  • 'capias' in case he should not obey the second summons.

    The Complete Memoirs of Jacques Casanova Giacomo Casanova 1761

  • 'capias' in case he should not obey the second summons.

    Memoirs of Casanova — Volume 01: Childhood Giacomo Casanova 1761

  • They take a pride to prank up themselves, to make young men. enamoured, — [5850] captare viros et spernere capias, to dote on them, and to run mad for their sakes,

    Anatomy of Melancholy 2007

  • Poetarum numina, benigne lector, oro te ne me male capias.

    Anatomy of Melancholy 2007

  • If a non-driving, non-insurance-having, broke bitch has a capias out on her and a concerned citizen knows that this loudmouthed trick is going to be at a public place like Norwood Community Television, what should happen to her when she shows up?

    ATBWT: Running For Your Life... Nathaniel Livingston 2006

  • There's been a capias issued in that matter, and the capias provides for no bond.

    CNN Transcript Mar 20, 2005 2005

  • There is a statutory bond amount on that capias of $905.

    CNN Transcript Mar 20, 2005 2005

  • There has been a capias issued in that matter, and the capias provides for no bond.

    CNN Transcript Mar 20, 2005 2005

  • Do you ever notice that every time somebody is murdered, both teh victim and the perp if known just happen to be out awaiting trial, or a capias has been issued for them, etc.

    Things I'm Working On... Nathaniel Livingston 2005

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