cabal

See also: Cabal

English

Etymology

From French cabale, from Medieval Latin cabbala, which in turn is derived from Hebrew קַבָּלָה (kabalá, “Jewish mysticism”, literally “reception, something received”) (such as knowledge). Doublet of Kabballah.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kəˈbɑːl/, /kəˈbæl/

  • Audio (Southern England):

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  • Audio (Southern England):

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  • Audio (US):

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• Rhymes: -ɑːl, -æl

Noun

cabal (plural cabals)

1. (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; […]

2. A secret plot.

   Synonym: conspiracy

   The cabal to destroy the building was foiled by federal agents.

3. 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

• cabalism
• cabalist
• cabalistic
• cabalize
• caballer
• cabbalistic
• TINC (“there is no cabal”)

 

Translations

secret organization

• Bulgarian: конспирация (bg) f (konspiracija)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 陰謀集團／阴谋集团 (yīnmóu jítuán)

• Esperanto: komploto, intrigo
• Finnish: salaliitto (fi)
• French: cabale (fr) f
• German: Geheimbund (de) m
• Greek: κλίκα (el) f (klíka)
• Italian: setta (it) f
• Japanese: 秘密結社 (ja) (himitsu kessha)
• Macedonian: клика f (klika)
• Russian: кли́ка (ru) f (klíka)
• Spanish: cábala (es), camarilla (es) f, sociedad secreta (es) f
• Swedish: kabal (sv) c

secret plot, conspiracy

• Catalan: càbala (ca) f
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 陰謀／阴谋 (zh) (yīnmóu)

• Finnish: salaliitto (fi)
• Portuguese: cabala (pt) f

Verb

cabal (third-person singular simple present cabals, present participle cabaling or caballing, simple past and past participle cabaled or caballed)

1. (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

• cabal glass

Asturian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kaˈbal/, [kaˈβ̞al]

Adjective

cabal (epicene, plural cabales)

1. rational, reasonable, sane

   Synonym: acordáu

   Antonym: deschapetáu

   • 2007, Pablo Antón Marín Estrada, La ciudá encarnada‎^[1]:

     Esti periódicu nun s'achapla delantre nada nin naide. Sabénlo perbién los que lu compren toles mañanes. 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.

2. upright, fair, just (a person)

   Synonyms: esautu, reutu, xustu

Catalan

Etymology

Inherited from Late Latin capālis, from Latin capitālis. Equivalent to cap +‎ -al.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central) [kəˈβal]
• IPA^(key): (Balearic) [kəˈbal]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [kaˈbal]
• Rhymes: -al

Adjective

cabal m or f (masculine and feminine plural cabals)

1. complete, total
2. upright, well-rounded

Noun

cabal m (plural cabals)

1. goods, possessions
2. flow, discharge (of a fluid)
3. (telecommunications) throughput

Derived terms

• cabaler

Further reading

• “cabal” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.

Galician

Etymology

From Late Latin capalis or from cabo +‎ -al.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [kɑˈβal]

Adjective

cabal m or f (plural cabais)

1. whole, complete

   Synonym: completo

   • 1823, Pedro Boado Sánchez, Diálogo entre dos Labradores gallegos afligidos:

     E may-lo Alcalde habíase d’alegrar, qu’el tamen está picado, qu’ainda n-hay ano é medio cabal que lle morreo á muller, é tamen pagou á farda como cada fillo de veciño.

     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

2. exact

   Synonym: exacto

Related terms

• cabo

References

• Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández, 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
• Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández, Ernesto Xosé González Seoane, María Álvarez de la Granja, editors (2003–2018), “cabal”, in Tesouro informatizado da lingua galega (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega

Portuguese

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /kaˈbaw/ [kaˈbaʊ̯]

 

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /kɐˈbal/ [kɐˈβaɫ]

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /kɐˈbal/ [kɐˈβaɫ]
  • (Southern Portugal) IPA^(key): /kɐˈba.li/ [kɐˈβa.li]

• Rhymes: (Portugal) -al, (Brazil) -aw
• Hyphenation: ca‧bal

Adjective

cabal m or f (plural cabais)

1. complete
2. rigorous
3. exact
4. satisfactory

Derived terms

• cabalmente

Spanish

Etymology

From cabo +‎ -al.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kaˈbal/ [kaˈβ̞al]
• Rhymes: -al
• Syllabification: ca‧bal

Adjective

cabal m or f (masculine and feminine plural cabales)

1. upright, honest
2. exact
3. complete, entire, full

Adverb

cabal

1. (colloquial, El Salvador, Honduras) exactly, exact, yes

   Synonyms: exactamente, sí, exacto

   Sí, cabal, así es cómo se hace.

   Yes, exactly, that's how it's done.

Derived terms

• cabalmente
• en sus cabales

 

Further reading

• “cabal”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.7, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 2023 November 28