cabal
From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also: Cabal
English
[edit]Etymology
[edit]From French cabale, from Medieval Latin cabbala,[1] which in turn is derived from Hebrew kabalah (kabala, "Jewish mysticism", literally "reception, something received") (such as knowledge). Doublet of Kabbalah, as well as, more distantly, ghibli.
Pronunciation
[edit]- IPA(key): /k@'ba:l/, /k@'bael/
Audio (Southern England): (file) Audio (Southern England): (file) Audio (US): (file)
- Rhymes: -a:l, -ael
Noun
[edit]cabal (plural cabals)
- (derogatory) A putative, secret organization of individuals gathered for a political purpose.
- Synonym: camarilla
- The cabal is plotting to ruin the world.
- 1754, David Hume, "[Charles I.]", in The History of Great Britain, under the House of Stuart, 2nd edition, volume I, London: [...] A[ndrew] Millar, [...], published 1759, -OCLC, page 154:
- Undaunted and implacable, prudent and active; no opposition of the French princes or nobles could withstand his vengeance, no cabals could escape his penetration.
- 1768, Mr. Yorick [pseudonym; Laurence Sterne], A Sentimental Journey through France and Italy, volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: [...] T. Becket and P. A. De Hondt, [...], -OCLC:
- But 'tis a civil thing, said I;--and as I generally act from the first impulse, and therefore seldom listen to these cabals, which serve no purpose, that I know of, but to encompass the heart with adamant--I turned instantly about to the lady.--
- 1788, Publius [pseudonym; James Madison], "Number X", in The Federalist: A Collection of Essays, Written in Favour of the New Constitution, [...] , volume I, New York, N.Y.: [...] J. and A. M'Lean, [...], -OCLC, page 59:
- In the first place, it is to be remarked that, however small the republic may be, the representatives must be raised to a certain number, in order to guard against the cabals of a few; and that, however large it may be, they must be limited to a certain number, in order to guard against the confusion of a multitude.
- 1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XII, in Francesca Carrara. [...], volume III, London: Richard Bentley, [...], (successor to Henry Colburn), -OCLC, page 91:
- With his active and intriguing temper, Francis would doubtless have taken an eager part in the court cabals and conspiracies which make the history of Charles the Second; [...]
- A secret plot.
- Synonym: conspiracy
- The cabal to destroy the building was foiled by federal agents.
- An identifiable group within the tradition of Discordianism.
- 1965, Greg Hill, Kerry Thornley, Principia Discordia:
- Some episkoposes have a one-man cabal. Some work together. Some never do explain.
Derived terms
[edit]- cabalism
- cabalist
- cabalistic
- cabalize
- caballer
- cabbalistic
- TINC ("there is no cabal")
Translations
[edit]
|
secret plot, conspiracy
Verb
[edit]cabal (third-person singular simple present cabals, present participle (US) cabaling or (UK) caballing, simple past and past participle (US) cabaled or (UK) caballed)
- (intransitive) To engage in the activities of a cabal.
- 1704, [Jonathan Swift], "Section I. The Introduction.", in A Tale of a Tub. [...], London: [...] John Nutt, [...], -OCLC, page 45:
- [W]e think it very unbecoming our Prudence, that the Determination should be remitted to the Authors themselves; when our Adversaries, by Briguing and Caballing, have caused so universal a Defection from us, that the greater Part of our Society has already deserted to them, [...]
- 1840, George Payne Rainsford James, The King's Highway, volume I, pages 68-69:
- [...] I believed her to have been carried off by some persons belonging to a party of Jacobites who were known to be caballing against the government, though to what extent was not then ascertained.
- 1847 January - 1848 July, William Makepeace Thackeray, Vanity Fair [...], London: Bradbury and Evans [...], published 1848, -OCLC:
- But the Subalterns' and Captains' ladies (the Major is unmarried) cabal against her a good deal. They say that Glorvina gives herself airs and that Peggy herself is intolerably domineering.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Douglas Harper (2001-2026), "cabal", in Online Etymology Dictionary.
Asturian
[edit]Pronunciation
[edit]Adjective
[edit]cabal (epicene, plural cabales)
- rational, reasonable, sane
- Synonym: acordau
- Antonym: deschapetau
- 2007, Pablo Anton Marin Estrada, La ciuda encarnada[1]:
- Esti periodicu nun s'achapla delantre nada nin naide. Sabenlo perbien los que lu compren toles mananes. Y tolos xixoneses que son xente cabal y de bona fe.
- This newspaper will not humiliate itself in front of anything or anyone. Those who buy it everyday know it well. And all the gijonese that are rational and goodwilled people.
- upright, fair, just (a person)
Catalan
[edit]Etymology
[edit]Inherited from Late Latin capalis, from Latin capitalis. Equivalent to cap + -al.
Pronunciation
[edit]- IPA(key): (Central) [k@'bal]
- IPA(key): (Balearic) [k@'bal]
- IPA(key): (Valencia) [ka'bal]
Audio (Barcelona): (file) - Rhymes: -al
Adjective
[edit]cabal m or f (masculine and feminine plural cabals)
Noun
[edit]cabal m (plural cabals)
- goods, possessions
- flow, discharge (of a fluid)
- (telecommunications) throughput
Derived terms
[edit]Further reading
[edit]- "cabal", in Diccionari de la llengua catalana [Dictionary of the Catalan Language] (in Catalan), second edition, Institute of Catalan Studies [Catalan: Institut d'Estudis Catalans], April 2007
Galician
[edit]Etymology
[edit]From Late Latin capalis or from cabo + -al.
Pronunciation
[edit]Adjective
[edit]cabal m or f (plural cabais)
- whole, complete
- Synonym: completo
- 1823, Pedro Boado Sanchez, Dialogo entre dos Labradores gallegos afligidos:
- E may-lo Alcalde habiase d'alegrar, qu'el tamen esta picado, qu'ainda n-hay ano e medio cabal que lle morreo a muller, e tamen pagou a farda como cada fillo de vecino.
- And the mayor would also be glad, because he's also piqued, because there's not a whole year and a half that his wife died and he also paid the burden as every mother's son
- exact
- Synonym: exacto
Related terms
[edit]References
[edit]- Anton Luis Santamarina Fernandez, editor (2006-2013), "cabal", in Dicionario de Dicionarios da lingua galega [Dictionary of Dictionaries of the Galician language] (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
- Anton Luis Santamarina Fernandez, Ernesto Xose Gonzalez Seoane, Maria Alvarez de la Granja, editors (2003-2018), "cabal", in Tesouro informatizado da lingua galega (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
Portuguese
[edit]Pronunciation
[edit]
Adjective
[edit]cabal m or f (plural cabais)
Derived terms
[edit]Further reading
[edit]- "cabal", in Dicionario Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008-2026
- "cabal", in Dicionario Priberam da Lingua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008-2026
Spanish
[edit]Etymology
[edit]Pronunciation
[edit]Adjective
[edit]cabal m or f (masculine and feminine plural cabales)
Adverb
[edit]cabal
- (colloquial, El Salvador, Honduras) exactly, exact, yes
- Synonyms: exactamente, si, exacto
- Si, cabal, asi es como se hace.
- Yes, exactly, that's how it's done.
Derived terms
[edit]Further reading
[edit]- "cabal", in Diccionario de la lengua espanola [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Espanola], 15 December 2025
Retrieved from "https://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=cabal&oldid=89232586"
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