cap in hand
Supplicant's humble stance
Cap in hand describes approaching someone humbly, often to ask for help or money.
The image is of a person removing their hat as a sign of deference or supplication: He went cap in hand to his father-in-law for a loan.
The phrase usually carries a note of reluctance or wounded pride—nobody enjoys going cap in hand.
Unassuming about oneself
- meekHumbly unassertive
- modestLacking in pretension
- submissiveReadily yielding to control
- self-effacingDownplaying one's own importance
unassuming · lowly · deferential · penitent · contrite · sheepish · bashful · timid
Earnest desperate requesting
- pleadingUrgent heartfelt request
- entreatyEarnest, urgent request
- petitionFormal written appeal
- imploringUrgently requesting with emotion
beseeching · groveling · solicitation · appeal · request · plea · supplicant · importune
Showing proper regard
- obsequiousServilely attentive to superiors
- servileExcessively submissive, lacking independence
- subservientExcessively eager to obey
- kowtowingSubmissive display of respect
bowing · scraping · fawning · ingratiating · sycophantic · compliant · acquiescent · yielding
Feeling guilt over misdeeds
- remorsefulFeeling guilt for wrongdoing
- repentantFeeling sorrow for misdeeds
- apologeticExpressing regret for wrongdoing
- penitentOne showing remorse
sorry · rueful · regretful · atoning · seeking forgiveness · making amends · mea culpa · eating humble pie
humble
Unassuming about oneself
- meekHumbly unassertive
- modestLacking in pretension
- submissiveReadily yielding to control
self-effacing · unassuming · lowly · deferential · penitent · contrite · sheepish · bashful · timid · subdued
begging
Earnest desperate requesting
imploring · beseeching · groveling · solicitation · appeal · request · plea · supplicant · importune · adjure
respectful
Showing proper regard
- obsequiousServilely attentive to superiors
- servileExcessively submissive, lacking independence
- subservientExcessively eager to obey
kowtowing · bowing · scraping · fawning · ingratiating · sycophantic · compliant · acquiescent · yielding · subordinate
contrite
Feeling guilt over misdeeds
- remorsefulFeeling guilt for wrongdoing
- repentantFeeling sorrow for misdeeds
- apologeticExpressing regret for wrongdoing
penitent · sorry · rueful · regretful · atoning · seeking forgiveness · making amends · mea culpa · eating humble pie · tail between legs
borrowing
Temporary taking of another's
alms · mendicant · indigent · needy · broke · hard up · strapped · desperate · penniless · destitute
- clothing idiomsfit like a glove, dressed to the nines, dressed to kill, wear the pants, caught with pants down
- mannersetiquette, manners, polite, rude, politeness
- humilityhumbleness, humble, meekness, modesty, modest
cap in handdemanding
Requiring great effort
imperiously · high-handedly · arrogantly · demandingly · entitled
cap in handcalling the shots
Being the one deciding
holding all the cards · in the driver's seat · laying down the law · take it or leave it · lordly
cap, hand, caps, capped, capping, uncapped, hands, handed, handing