capitulate
kuh-PICH-uh-laytverbMeaning to surrender or give in completely
Memory hook CAP-itulate: off comes the CAP, up goes the white flag. King Gus takes off his crown, raises both hands and waves a white flag from the castle: “We give up!” He capitulates.
After a long siege, the castle finally capitulated.
In context The twins held out against bedtime for nearly an hour, bargaining and pleading, but at last they capitulated and climbed into bed.
Similar surrender, give up, yield, give in
Opposite resist, fight on, hold out
From Medieval Latin capitulare, “to draw up terms under headings,” from capitulum, “a chapter, a little head”; to capitulate was first to agree to terms of surrender.