DictionaryAI

cupboard

KUB-urd/ˈkʌb.ɚd/SayKUB-uhd/ˈkʌb.əd//ˈkɐb.əd/

Pluralcupboards

Verbcupboards, cupboarding, cupboarded

6 meanings of cupboard

Practice

  1. 1
    nouncountable
    A piece of furniture with shelves and doors, used to keep dishes, food, or other things.

    Like a closet, but for dishes and food instead of clothes.

    She put the clean plates back in the cupboard.

    The kitchen cupboards were full of cans and jars.

    Similarcabinet

    Note
  2. 2
    noundialectalPennsylvaniaUKWesterncountable
    A small closet for hanging coats and jackets.

    Like a small closet just for coats and jackets.

    Hang your coat in the cupboard by the front door.

    The hall cupboard was crammed with wet raincoats and umbrellas.

    Similarcloset

    Note
  3. 3
    verbtransitive
    To gather things together and store them away, often by hoarding.

    Like a squirrel saving up nuts for the winter.

    Squirrels cupboard acorns to get through the long winter.

    He likes to cupboard cans of soup in case of storms.

    Similarhoard, stockpile, store, stash

    Note

Less common meanings

  1. 4
    nounobsolete
    An open table or stand used to show off silver plates and fine dishes.
    from the cobbarde byſyde owr dyninge table
    1555, Peter Martyr d'Anghiera, “The fourth booke of the seconde Decade, of the supposed Continent”Here, cupboard means an open stand or sideboard for showing off fine dishes.
    Cupboꝛde of plate or to ſette plate upon buffet z ma.
    1530, Iohan Palſgrave, “The thirde boke”Here, cupboard means a stand or sideboard for setting out silver plate.
    Note
  2. 5
    nounobsolete
    The fine dishes and silver shown off on a sideboard.
    But howe comme to pas, / Your cupbord that was / Is tourned to glasse, / From syluere to brasse, / From golde to pewter, / Or els to a newter, / To copper, to tyn, / To lede, or alcumyn?
    a. 1529, John Skelton, Why Come Ye Nat to Courte?; published in John Skelton; Alexander DyceHere, cupboard means the fine dishes and silver set out on display.
    Note
  3. 6
    nounobsolete
    The food and other things kept inside a cupboard.
    Note

Practice

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Origin

From Middle English cuppeborde, made from cup + board. The old /p/ sound changed to /b/ by the 16th century.