set one's cap at
Meaning: To try to attract someone as a romantic partner (dated).
Language: English
Literally: (Already vivid in English)
Example: “In the old novel, every young woman in town sets her cap at the new doctor.”
Category: Daily Life
Origin: Said of women from the 18th century, perhaps from putting on one's most attractive cap to catch a man's eye. Oliver Goldsmith's play She Stoops to Conquer (1773) has a version of it. The exact origin is uncertain.
Equivalents in other languages
- French: Faire la cour à quelqu'un — literally: To make the court to someone
More idioms — Daily Life
- the big leagues — The highest, most competitive level of an activity.
- rich as Croesus — Extremely wealthy.
- everyone's a critic — A wry reply to unwanted criticism: it is easy to find fault.
- the pitcher goes to the well once too often — Repeated risk-taking eventually ends in disaster.
- a road to Damascus moment — A sudden, life-changing realization or conversion.
- the sword of Damocles — A constant threat of disaster hanging over someone.
More English idioms
- the deck is stacked — The situation is unfairly arranged so that someone will lose.
- after me, the deluge — I don't care what happens after I am gone.
- lie through one's teeth — To lie openly and shamelessly.
- slow on the uptake — Slow to understand.
- kiss something goodbye — To accept that one has lost something or will never get it.
- set one's sights on — To decide to try to get or achieve something.