capstone

/ˈkæpstəʊn/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈkæpstəʊn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈkap-ˌstōn/ (ame, mw)

capstone — noun

  • capstonesingular
  • capstonesplural

1. a finishing stone fixed on the highest part of a wall, gate, or similar structur

1.名詞C1
釋義

a finishing stone fixed on the highest part of a wall, gate, or similar structure.

例句

Workers lowered the limestone capstone into place above the garden wall.

pattern: place a capstone above a wall or gate

Rainwater leaked in after the old church lost its capstone.

同義詞
  • coping stone

    Technical building term for a protective top stone on a wall

  • crown stone

    Focuses on the topmost finishing stone, especially in formal building language

反義詞

文法句型

the capstone of + wall / gate / arch

place / set a capstone

用法筆記

Usually used for a single stone that finishes the top edge of a wall, gate, or arch. Distinguish from noun/2, which is figurative and often appears in abstract phrases such as 'the capstone of the project'.

常見錯誤

❌They lifted the capstone into the basement wall.
✅They lifted the capstone onto the top of the wall.
💡a capstone is placed at the highest finishing point, not lower down in the structure.
❌The painter replaced the capstone on the gate.
✅The mason replaced the capstone on the gate.
💡this word usually appears in building or stonework contexts.

2. the finest thing someone achieves, or the last part that makes a piece of work f

2.名詞C1
釋義

the finest thing someone achieves, or the last part that makes a piece of work feel complete.

例句

Her science fair project became the capstone of a year of hard study.

pattern: the capstone of + period of work

The final bridge design was the capstone of the engineering course.

pattern: the capstone of + course or program

同義詞
  • crowning achievement

    Very close, but more explicitly about success or fame

  • culmination

    Stresses the end point of a process more than the idea of a distinguished final piece

  • highlight

    Can mean the best part, but does not necessarily imply completion

  • milestone

    Marks important progress, but may come in the middle rather than at the end

反義詞
  • starting point

    The beginning rather than the finishing stage

  • setback

    A problem that interrupts progress instead of completing it

文法句型

the capstone of + project / career / course / plan

serve as the capstone of + noun phrase

用法筆記

Common in formal writing about projects, careers, or courses. It often appears in the pattern 'the capstone of ...' when the speaker wants to stress both completion and special importance.

常見錯誤

❌Passing one quiz was the capstone of her semester.
✅Her final research project was the capstone of her semester.
💡this word usually refers to the most important or culminating achievement, not a small routine success.
❌The capstone for the project was delayed by rain.
✅The capstone of the project was delayed by rain.
💡this figurative sense most often takes 'of', not 'for'.