Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Capitulate
Ca-pit′u-late
,Verb.
I.
[
imp. & p. p.
Capitulated
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Capitulating
.] 1.
To settle or draw up the heads or terms of an agreement, as in chapters or articles; to agree.
[Obs.]
There
capitulates
with the king . . . to take to wife his daughter Mary. Heylin.
There is no reason why the reducing of any agreement to certain heads or capitula should not be called to
capitulate
. Trench.
2.
To surrender on terms agreed upon (usually, drawn up under several heads);
as, an army or a garrison
. capitulates
The Irish, after holding out a week,
capitulated
. Macaulay.
Ca-pit′u-late
,Verb.
T.
To surrender or transfer, as an army or a fortress, on certain conditions.
[R.]
Webster 1828 Edition
Capitulate
CAPITULATE
, v.i.1.
To draw up a writing in chapters, heads or articles. [But this sense is not usual.]2.
To surrender, as an army or garrison, to an enemy, by treaty, in which the terms of surrender are specified and agreed to by the parties. The term is applicable to a garrison or to the inhabitants of a besieged place, or to an army or troops in any situation in which they are subdued or compelled to submit to a victorious enemy.