cabal
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cabal
conspiratorial group of plotters; a secret plot or scheme
Not to be confused with:
cable – a strong, heavy rope
Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree
ca·bal
(kə-bäl′, -băl′)n.
1. A conspiratorial group of plotters or intriguers: "Espionage is quite precisely it—a cabal of powerful men, working secretly" (Frank Conroy).
2. A secret scheme or plot.
intr.v. ca·balled, ca·bal·ling, ca·bals
To form a cabal; conspire.
[French cabale, from Medieval Latin cabala; see kabbalah.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
cabal
(kəˈbæl)n
1. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) a small group of intriguers, esp one formed for political purposes
2. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) a secret plot, esp a political one; conspiracy; intrigue
3. a secret or exclusive set of people; clique
vb (intr) , -bals, -balling or -balled
(Government, Politics & Diplomacy) to form a cabal; conspire; plot
[C17: from French cabale, from Medieval Latin cabala; see cabbala]
Cabal
(kəˈbæl)n
(Historical Terms) the Cabal English history a group of ministers of Charles II that governed from 1667–73: consisting of Clifford, Ashley, Buckingham, Arlington, and Lauderdale
[see kabbalah; by a coincidence, the initials of Charles II's ministers can be arranged to form this word]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
ca•bal
(kəˈbæl)n., v. -balled, -bal•ling. n.
1. a small group of secret plotters, as against a government or authority.
2. the plots and schemes of such a group.
3. a clique, as in literary circles.
v.i. 4. to form a cabal.
[1610–20; < Medieval Latin cabbala]
syn: See conspiracy.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
Cabal
a small group engaged in a secret intrigue; a political clique. See also camarilla, conspiracy, faction, party.Examples: cabal of artists, 1859; of cardinals, 1715; of intriguers; of politicians. [Its origin was popularly related as an acronym referring to 1670, when the English Government ministers included C lifford, A shley, B uckingham, A rlington, and L auderdale.]
Dictionary of Collective Nouns and Group Terms. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
cabal
Past participle: caballed
Gerund: caballing
| Imperative |
|---|
| cabal |
| cabal |
| Present |
|---|
| I cabal |
| you cabal |
| he/she/it cabals |
| we cabal |
| you cabal |
| they cabal |
| Preterite |
|---|
| I caballed |
| you caballed |
| he/she/it caballed |
| we caballed |
| you caballed |
| they caballed |
| Present Continuous |
|---|
| I am caballing |
| you are caballing |
| he/she/it is caballing |
| we are caballing |
| you are caballing |
| they are caballing |
| Present Perfect |
|---|
| I have caballed |
| you have caballed |
| he/she/it has caballed |
| we have caballed |
| you have caballed |
| they have caballed |
| Past Continuous |
|---|
| I was caballing |
| you were caballing |
| he/she/it was caballing |
| we were caballing |
| you were caballing |
| they were caballing |
| Past Perfect |
|---|
| I had caballed |
| you had caballed |
| he/she/it had caballed |
| we had caballed |
| you had caballed |
| they had caballed |
| Future |
|---|
| I will cabal |
| you will cabal |
| he/she/it will cabal |
| we will cabal |
| you will cabal |
| they will cabal |
| Future Perfect |
|---|
| I will have caballed |
| you will have caballed |
| he/she/it will have caballed |
| we will have caballed |
| you will have caballed |
| they will have caballed |
| Future Continuous |
|---|
| I will be caballing |
| you will be caballing |
| he/she/it will be caballing |
| we will be caballing |
| you will be caballing |
| they will be caballing |
| Present Perfect Continuous |
|---|
| I have been caballing |
| you have been caballing |
| he/she/it has been caballing |
| we have been caballing |
| you have been caballing |
| they have been caballing |
| Future Perfect Continuous |
|---|
| I will have been caballing |
| you will have been caballing |
| he/she/it will have been caballing |
| we will have been caballing |
| you will have been caballing |
| they will have been caballing |
| Past Perfect Continuous |
|---|
| I had been caballing |
| you had been caballing |
| he/she/it had been caballing |
| we had been caballing |
| you had been caballing |
| they had been caballing |
| Conditional |
|---|
| I would cabal |
| you would cabal |
| he/she/it would cabal |
| we would cabal |
| you would cabal |
| they would cabal |
| Past Conditional |
|---|
| I would have caballed |
| you would have caballed |
| he/she/it would have caballed |
| we would have caballed |
| you would have caballed |
| they would have caballed |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
Noun 1. cabal - a clique (often secret) that seeks power usually through intrigue
clique, coterie, ingroup, inner circle, camp, pack - an exclusive circle of people with a common purpose
cabalist - a member of a cabal
2. cabal - a plot to carry out some harmful or illegal act (especially a political plot)
plot, secret plan, game - a secret scheme to do something (especially something underhand or illegal); "they concocted a plot to discredit the governor"; "I saw through his little game from the start"
Gunpowder Plot - a conspiracy in 1605 in England to blow up James I and the Houses of Parliament to avenge the persecution of Catholics in England; led by Guy Fawkes
political science, politics, government - the study of government of states and other political units
Verb 1. cabal - engage in plotting or enter into a conspiracy, swear together; "They conspired to overthrow the government"
coconspire - conspire together; "The two men coconspired to cover up the Federal investigation"
plot - plan secretly, usually something illegal; "They plotted the overthrow of the government"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
cabal
noun
1. clique, set, party, league, camp, coalition, faction, caucus, junta, coterie, schism, confederacy, conclave He had been chosen by a cabal of fellow senators.
2. plot, scheme, intrigue, conspiracy, machination The left saw it as a bourgeois cabal.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
cabal
nounA secret plan to achieve an evil or illegal end:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
salaliitto
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
cabal
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995