Caption \Cap"tion\, n. [L. captio, fr. caper to take. In senses
   3 and 4, perhaps confounded in meaning with L. caput a head.
   See {Capacious}.]
   1. A caviling; a sophism. [Obs.]
      
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            This doctrine is for caption and contradiction.
                                                  --Bacon.
      
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   2. The act of taking or arresting a person by judicial
      process. [R.] --Bouvier.
      
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   3. (Law) That part of a legal instrument, as a commission,
      indictment, etc., which shows where, when, and by what
      authority, it was taken, found, or executed. --Bouvier.
      --Wharton.
      
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   4. The heading of a chapter, section, or page. [U. S.]
      
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caption
     n 1: taking exception; especially an quibble based on a captious
          argument; "a mere caption unworthy of a reply"
     2: translation of foreign dialogue of a movie or TV program;
        usually displayed at the bottom of the screen [syn: {subtitle}]
     3: brief description accompanying an illustration [syn: {legend}]
     v : provide with a caption, as of a photograph or a drawing

29 Moby Thesaurus words for "caption":
   banner, banner head, drop head, dropline, epigraph, hanger, head,
   head up, heading, headline, jump head, legend, motto, overline,
   rubric, running head, running title, scarehead, screamer, spread,
   spreadhead, streamer, subhead, subheading, subtitle,
   superscription, title, title page, underline

CAPTION, practice. That part of a legal instrument, as a 'Commission, 
indictment, &c., which shows where, when, and by what authority it was 
taken, found or executed. As to the forms and requisites of captions, see 1 
Murph. 281; 8 Yerg. 514; 4 Iredell, 113; 6 Miss,. 469; 1 Scam. 456; 5 How. 
Mis. 20; 6 Blackf. 299; 1 Hawks, 354; 1 Brev. 169. 
     2. In the English practice, when an inferior court in obedience to the 
writ of certiorari, returns an indictment into the K. B., it is annexed to 
the caption, then called a schedule, and the caption concludes with stating, 
that "it is presented in manner and form as appears in a certain indictment 
thereto annexed," and the caption and indictment are returned on separate 
parchments. 1 Saund. 309, n. 2. Vide Dane's Ab. Index, h.t. 
     3. Caption is another name for arrest. CAPTIVE. By this term is 
understood  one who has been taken; it is usually applied to prisoners of 
war. (q.v.) Although he has lost his liberty, a captive does not by his 
captivity lose his civil rights.