E. Cobham Brewer 1810–1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898.
Capital.
Money or money’s worth available for production.
1
“His capital is continually going from him [the merchant] in some shape, and returning to him in another.”—Adam Smith: Wealth of Nations, vol. i. book ii. chap. i. p. 276.
Active capital. Ready money or property readily convertible into it.
2
Circulating capital. Wages or raw material. This sort of capital is not available a second time for the same purpose.
3
Fixed capital. Land, buildings, and machinery, which are only gradually consumed.
4
Political capital is something employed to serve a political purpose. Thus, the Whigs make political capital out of the errors of the Tories, and vice versâ.
5
“He tried to make capital out of his rival’s discomfiture.”—The Times.
