cabbage
/ˈkæbɪdʒ/
NOUN
1. Leafy vegetable
A cultivated vegetable belonging to the mustard family, characterized by a compact, rounded head of tightly packed leaves that are commonly eaten raw or cooked.
1.1. Vegetables and edible leafy plants
Used to describe cabbage as an edible leafy vegetable, particularly in cooking, gardening, agriculture, and discussions of food ingredients.
Synonyms
- colewort
- collards
- savoy
- cole
Examples
- The chef prepared a delicious stir-fry with fresh cabbage and savory spices.
- The farmer harvested a bountiful crop of cabbage for the local market.
- Shredded cabbage added a crisp texture to the vegetable salad.
Related Words
- broccoli
- kale
- brussels sprouts
- cauliflower
- lettuce
- bok choy
- sauerkraut
- coleslaw
- cruciferous vegetable
- Brassica
NOUN
2. Money or cash
Money, particularly paper currency or a substantial amount of cash, used as an informal slang expression.
2.1. Cash and financial resources
Used informally as slang for money, cash, or financial resources, particularly in colloquial American English.
Synonyms
- cash
- money
- dough
- bread
- bucks
- banknotes
- bankroll
- loot
- lucre
- moola
- moolah
- scratch
- wampum
- green
- greenbacks
- folding money
- currency
- funds
- capital
- jack
- lolly
- pelf
Examples
- He spent a lot of cabbage renovating his house.
- The business owner made enough cabbage to expand the company.
- They needed more cabbage to finance their overseas vacation.
Related Words
- wealth
- riches
- fortune
- finances
- treasure
- wallet
- savings
- legal tender
- pocket money
- spending money
- pecuniary resources
NOUN
3. Person with severely impaired mental abilities
A derogatory slang term for a person whose mental functioning has been severely impaired, particularly as a result of brain damage or neurological injury.
3.1. Severe cognitive impairment
Used pejoratively to refer to someone with profound cognitive impairment or greatly reduced mental functioning. The expression is offensive and generally considered outdated.
Synonyms
- vegetable
- invalid
- incompetent
Examples
- The insensitive remark referred to the patient as a cabbage, a term widely regarded as offensive.
Related Words
- brain damage
- neurological impairment
- cognitive disability
- brain injury
- unconsciousness
- neurological condition
NOUN
4. Term of endearment
An affectionate or familiar expression used to address someone, particularly a loved one or close companion.
4.1. Affectionate and familiar address
Used as a playful or affectionate nickname for someone, expressing fondness, familiarity, or emotional closeness.
Synonyms
Examples
- Come here, my little cabbage, and give me a hug.
Related Words
- affection
- fondness
- endearment
- intimacy
- tenderness
- nickname
- pet name
NOUN
5. Marijuana leaves
The leafy parts of the cannabis plant, particularly those not typically smoked but potentially used to extract compounds for preparing cannabis-infused products.
5.1. Cannabis leaves and plant material
Used in slang to refer to marijuana foliage, especially the leaves and other plant material used in cannabis processing or extraction.
Synonyms
- marijuana
- cannabis
- pot
- weed
- ganja
Examples
- The old slang expression cabbage referred to the leafy material of the cannabis plant.
Related Words
- cannabis plant
- cannabutter
- hemp
- cannabinoids
- THC
- CBD
- foliage
- plant material
NOUN
6. Edible terminal bud of a palm tree
The tender terminal bud or growing center of certain palm trees, which can be harvested and eaten as a vegetable.
6.1. Palm hearts and edible tree buds
Used to describe the tender growing tip of certain palm species, valued as an edible plant part and commonly associated with palm heart vegetables.
Synonyms
- palm heart
- heart of palm
Examples
- The indigenous community traditionally harvested the cabbage from certain palm trees for food.
Related Words
- palmetto
- cabbage palm
- palm tree
- terminal bud
- growing point
- palm shoot
NOUN
7. Cabbage palmetto palm
A palm tree species native to the southeastern United States and nearby islands, scientifically known as Sabal palmetto.
7.1. Palm trees and subtropical vegetation
Used to refer to the cabbage palmetto, a characteristic palm species of coastal southeastern North America, particularly Florida and South Carolina.
Synonyms
- cabbage palmetto
- sabal palm
- palmetto
Examples
- The cabbage palms lined the coastal road, creating a distinctive subtropical landscape.
Related Words
- Sabal palmetto
- palm
- palm tree
- sabal
- palmetto family
- subtropical vegetation
NOUN
8. Fabric scraps and leftover cloth
Small pieces of fabric remaining after material has been cut during garment making, traditionally retained by tailors for later use.
8.1. Tailoring and leftover fabric
Used historically in tailoring to describe leftover pieces of cloth cut from larger pieces of material during the production of garments.
Synonyms
- scraps
- offcuts
- remnants
- clippings
Examples
- The tailor kept the cabbage from each garment to use in future repairs.
Related Words
VERB
9. Forming a compact head
To develop or grow into a compact, rounded head resembling the tightly packed leaves of a cabbage.
9.1. Plant growth and head formation
Used in horticulture to describe the process by which leaves or plant growth develop into a dense, rounded head similar to that of a cabbage.
Synonyms
- head
- form a head
- clump
- cluster
Examples
- The young plants began to cabbage as their leaves developed into compact heads.
Related Words
- foliation
- leaf formation
- growth
- budding
- vegetation
- leaf development
VERB
10. Idling or doing nothing
To spend time doing very little, remaining inactive, or relaxing without engaging in productive activities.
10.1. Relaxing and being inactive
Used informally to describe spending time in an idle or inactive state, often lounging around without doing anything particularly useful.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Examples
- He spent the entire afternoon cabbaging on the sofa instead of doing his homework.
Related Words
- inactivity
- leisure
- relaxation
- idleness
- procrastination
- laziness
- downtime
VERB
11. Stealing or misappropriating
To secretly take, appropriate, or misappropriate property or money belonging to someone else, particularly through pilfering or embezzlement.
11.1. Theft and dishonest appropriation
Used in historical or informal British slang to describe stealing, pilfering, or secretly appropriating money, goods, or materials that do not belong to the person taking them.
Synonyms
Antonyms
- return
- restore
- reimburse
- relinquish
Examples
- The dishonest employee was accused of cabbaging money from the company's accounts.
Related Words
- theft
- larceny
- embezzlement
- misappropriation
- plunder
- peculation
- fraud
- dishonesty