Depressing (in a blanking die) a portion or portions of the cap below the ordinary surface level, usually to form lettering or decoration Sometimes the background, rather than the lettering itself, is debossed, leaving the letters at the original level of the cap, thus giving the appearance of embossing; otherwise the lettering itself is pressed down, giving the appearance of engraving
To stamp in such a way as to leave a depressed area on a finished piece Foil stamping the covers of case bound books normally laves a debossed area as well as the transfer of foil This deboss can be done without foil to create a "blind deboss " See also emboss