cabbage

¹

[kab-ij]

noun

1. any of several cultivated varieties of a plant, Brassica oleracea capitata, of the mustard family, having a short stem and leaves formed into a compact, edible head.

2. the head or leaves of this plant, eaten cooked or raw.

3. Slang.,  money, especially paper money.

4. Chiefly British Informal.

   1. a stupid, dull, or spiritless person.

   2. a mentally impaired person who is unable to live independently; vegetable.

cabbage

²

[kab-ij]

noun

1. Chiefly British.

   1. cloth scraps that remain after a garment has been cut from a fabric and that by custom the tailor may claim.

   2. Also called cab. such scraps used for reprocessing.

verb (used with or without object)

cabbaged, cabbaging 

1. to steal; pilfer.

   He cabbaged whole yards of cloth.

cabbage

¹

/ ˈkæbɪdʒ /

noun

1. Also called: cole. any of various cultivated varieties of the plant Brassica oleracea capitata, typically having a short thick stalk and a large head of green or reddish edible leaves: family Brassicaceae (crucifers) See also brassica savoy Compare skunk cabbage Chinese cabbage

2. a European plant, Brassica oleracea, with broad leaves and a long spike of yellow flowers: the plant from which the cabbages, cauliflower, broccoli, and Brussels sprout have been bred

3. 1. the head of a cabbage

   2. the edible leaf bud of the cabbage palm

4. informal,  a dull or unimaginative person

5. informal,  a person who has no mental faculties and is dependent on others for his or her subsistence

cabbage

²

/ ˈkæbɪdʒ /

noun

1. snippets of cloth appropriated by a tailor from a customer's material

verb

1. to steal; pilfer

Other Word Forms

• cabbagelike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of cabbage¹

1350–1400; Middle English caboche, caboge, cabage head of cabbage < dialectal Old French (Picardy, Normandy) literally, head, noggin, equivalent to ca- formative in expressive words, of uncertain origin + boche; boss ², botch ²

Origin of cabbage²

1615–25; earlier carbage shred, piece of cloth, apparently variant of garbage wheat straw chopped small (obsolete sense)

Word History and Origins

Origin of cabbage¹

C14: from Norman French caboche head; perhaps related to Old French boce hump, bump, Latin caput head

Origin of cabbage²

C17: of uncertain origin; perhaps related to Old French cabas theft

Example Sentences

She only began three years ago, with a cabbage crop, and to help she uses an app called AI-Farmer, which recognises several South African languages, including Sesotho, isiZulu and Afrikaans, to help solve various problems.

From BBC

In terms of the food they were given, there was "lots of meat", typically in sweet and sour sauce, and a dish involving finely-chopped cabbage and carrots in sauce.

From BBC

The British Growers Association said supplies of brassicas – including broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage - were "tight" but better harvests in wetter parts of the UK should ensure vegetables still make it to the supermarkets.

From BBC

The complete kit includes cabbage, kale, Brussels sprouts, and radicchio, roasted sunflower seeds, toasted quinoa, dried bits of mango and a Thai-style sweet and spicy vinaigrette.

From Salon

He and Zoe went to the market and bought a Chinese cabbage.

From BBC

Related Words

• sauerkraut