Chape
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 The lower metallic cap at the end of a sword's scabbard.
"The blade is 33 in. long, of triangular section, etched, gilt and blued at the hilt. The scabbard is covered with black sole-skin, with a gilt locket and chape; the locket inscribed BLAND AND FOSTER, SWORD CUTLERS[…]"
- 2 Alternative form of chappe (“rainguard”) (piece fitted to a sword's crossguard). alt-of, alternative
"[…] the swords nevertheless do not lack the chape, the small leather piece that overlaps the crossguard in a semi-circle over the base of the blade and that is often referred to as a rain guard."
- 3 The piece by which an object is attached to something, such as the frog of a scabbard or the metal loop at the back of a buckle by which it is fastened to a strap. archaic
"SABRE-BELT, ( black buff-leather.) — Length 36 to 40 inches, width 1.9 inch; 2 leather chapes sewed on the outside of the belt for attaching 2 brass loops […]"
- 4 The tip of a fox's tail.
Example
More examples"The blade is 33 in. long, of triangular section, etched, gilt and blued at the hilt. The scabbard is covered with black sole-skin, with a gilt locket and chape; the locket inscribed BLAND AND FOSTER, SWORD CUTLERS[…]"
Etymology
From Middle English chape, from Old French chape (“a churchman's cope, a cover, a chape”), from Latin cappa, itself derived from Latin caput (“the head”). Doublet of cap, cape, and cope.
More for "chape"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.