Forms: 6–7 cabanet, cabbonet, cabonet, 6– cabinet, (7 cabbinet). [app. Eng. dim. of CABIN, as seen by the earlier forms cabanet, cabonet, which go with the earlier forms of cabin; but in senses 3–6 largely influenced by F. cabinet, which according to Scheler and Brachet is not a direct derivative of F. cabane, but ad. It. gabinetto (= Sp. gabinete) ‘closet, press, chest of drawers,’ app. a dialectal It. word going back to the same origin as CABIN.]
I. A little cabin, room, repository. (Senses 1–3 run parallel to those of BOWER 1–3.)
† 1. A little cabin, hut, soldier’s tent; a rustic cottage; a dwelling, lodging, tabernacle; a den or hole of a beast. Obs.
1572. Digges, Stratiot. (1579), 120. The Lance Knights encamp always in the field very strongly, two or three to a Cabbonet.
1597. Lyly, Wom. in Moone, IV. i. 194. He hath thrust me from his cabanet.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts, 134. An [printed at] innumerable flocke of Harts, Boares, and other fourefooted beasts came about their Cabanet.
β. 1579. Fenton, Guicciard., IV. (1599), 178. The whole campe was constrained … to pitch their Cabinets within the ditches.
1591. Spenser, Daphn., 558. I him desyrde sith daie was overcast … To turne aside unto my cabinet, And staie with me.
1592. Shaks., Ven. & Ad., 853. The gentle larke … From his moyst cabinet mounts vp on hie.
a. 1640. Day, Peregr. Schol. (1881), 54. Where snakes … and half-starvd crocodiles made them sommer beds and winter cabbinets.
† b. fig. ‘Tabernacle.’ Obs.
1614. T. Adams, Devill’s Banq., 205. Whereas the Soule might dwell in the body … shee findes it a crazy, sickish, rotten cabinet.
1630. Brathwait, Eng. Gentl. (1641), 413/1. Their bodies … were too fraile Cabonets for such rich eminences to lodge in.
† 2. A summer-house or bower in a garden. Obs.
1579. Spenser, Sheph. Cal., Dec., 17. The greene cabinet. Ibid. (1590), F. Q., II. xii. 83. Their Gardens did deface, Their Arbers spoyld, their Cabinets suppresse.
1610. W. Folkingham, Art of Survey, I. xii. 44. Externall, as Groues, Arbours, Bowers, Cabinets, Allies, Ambulatories.
1737. Miller, Gard. Dict., Cabinet, in a Garden, is a Conveniency which differs from an Arbour, in this; that an Arbour … is of a great Length … but a Cabinet is either square, circular, or in Cants, making a kind of a Salon.
3. A small chamber or room; a private apartment, a boudoir. arch. or Obs.
1565. Earl Bedford, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., I. 186, II. 210. Ther is a cabinet abowte xii footes square, in the same a lyttle lowe reposinge bedde, and a table, at the which ther were syttinge at the supper the Quene … and David [Rizzio].
1603. Holland, Plutarch’s Mor., 1133. Sending us unto womens chambers and cabinets.
1609. Bible (Douay), Gen. vi. 14. Cabinets shalt thou make in the arke.
1727. Swift, Gulliver, II. iii. 118. The king, who was then retired to his cabinet.
1814. Scott, Wav., I. ii. 20. The stained window of the gloomy cabinet in which they were seated.
1822. W. Irving, Braceb. Hall, ii. 9. A small cabinet which he calls his study.
† 4. A room devoted to the arrangement or display of works of art and objects of vertu; a museum, picture gallery, etc. Obs. or arch.
1676. Hobbes, Iliad (1686), Pref. 7. Which [a painting] … will not be worthy to be plac’d in a Cabinet.
1727. Pope, etc. Art Sinking, Misc. 1732, IV. 58. A Surprize resembling that of a curious Person in a Cabinet of antique Statues, [etc.].
1796. J. Owen, Trav. Europe, II. 124. The Musæum at Portici is the most interesting cabinet in Europe, to a man not professedly scientific. The generality of cabinets are schools of study, rather than exhibitions.
5. A case for the safe custody of jewels, or other valuables, letters, documents, etc.; and thus, a repository or case, often itself forming an ornamental piece of furniture, fitted with compartments, drawers, shelves, etc., for the proper preservation and display of a collection of specimens.
c. 1550. in Our Eng. Home (1861), 164. Fayre large cabonett, covered with crimson vellet and copper gilt, with the king’s armes crowned.
a. 1631. Donne, Select. (1840), 24. The best jewel in the best cabinet.
1680. Sir C. Lyttelton, in Hatton Corr. (1878), 232. Tother day, in shifting of a cabinet … I found abundance of yr letters.
1742. Chesterf., Lett., I. lxxxix. 250. That fine wood, of which you see screens, cabinets, and tea-tables.
1839. Thirlwall, Greece, III. 129. Papers had been found in Alexander’s cabinet, containing the outlines of some vast projects.
1875. Jevons, Money (1878), 44. In innumerable cabinets may be found series of tin coins.
† 6. fig. A secret receptacle, treasure-chamber, store-house; arcanum, etc. Obs.
1549. Compl. Scot. (1872), 7. I socht all the secreit corneris of my gaȝophile … vitht in the cabinet of my interior thochtis.
1634. Sanderson, Serm., II. 312. That counsel of His, which is lockt up in the cabinet of His secret will.
1660. Trial Regic., 173. I look upon this Nation as the Cabinet of the world.
1667. Oldenburg, in Phil. Trans., II. 411. By Anatomy we have sometimes enter’d into the Chambers and Cabinets of Animal Functions.
¶ Short for Cabinet photograph (11, 14).
II. In politics.
7. a. As a specific use of 3: The private room in which the confidential advisers of the sovereign or chief ministers of a country meet; the council-chamber. Originally in the literal sense; now taken chiefly for what goes on or is transacted there, i.e., political consultation and action, as ‘the field’ is taken for ‘fighting, warlike action.’
1607–12. [see 8 a].
1625. W. Yonge, Diary (1848), 83. The King made choice of six of the nobility for his Council of the Cabinet.
1692. Dryden, St. Euremont’s Ess., 90. Weak, unactive, and purely for the Cabinet.
1693. Mem. Ct. Teckely, II. 117. Neither a Man of the Cabinet, nor of the War.
1700. Dryden, Fabl., Ded. You began in the Cabinet what you afterwards practis’d in the Camp.
1804. Wellington, Lett., in Gurw., Disp., III. 145. Equally great in the cabinet as in the field.
1860. Trollope, Framley P., i. 12. Harold in early life had intended himself for the cabinet.
b. The body of persons who meet in such a cabinet; that limited number of the ministers of the sovereign or head of the state who are in a more confidential position and have, in effect, with the head of the state, the determination and administration of affairs.
Formerly called more fully the Cabinet Council, as distinguished from the Privy Council, and as meeting in the cabinet; the later abbreviation is like the use of ‘the House,’ ‘the field,’ for those who fill or frequent it, and would be encouraged by such expressions as ‘he is of the cabinet’ used of Vane by Roe, 1630. Member of the cabinet is later.
1644. Mercurius Brit., 44. 347. According to … the practice of your Cabinet or Junto; but our State Committee know better.
1692. Dryden, St. Euremont’s Ess., 108. Every thing was then managed by the jealousie of her Mysterious Cabinet.
a. 1734. North, Lives, I. 380. As for his lordship’s being taken into the cabinet.
1796. Morse, Amer. Geog., II. 6. The cabinets of Europe … have endeavoured to keep up a constant equilibrium between the different states.
1844. H. H. Wilson, Brit. India, II. i. He had been authorised by the Prince Regent to attempt the formation of a cabinet.
1848. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. 212. Few things in our history are more curious than the origin and growth of the power now possessed by the Cabinet.
1874. Bancroft, Footpr. Time, iii. 236. The members of the President’s Cabinet.
† c. A meeting of this body. Now called a ‘Cabinet council,’ or ‘meeting of the Cabinet.’
(What is now called ‘the Cabinet’ was formerly ‘the Cabinet Council,’ and what is now ‘a Cabinet Council’ was formerly termed ‘a Cabinet.’)
1711. Swift, Lett. (1768), III. 195. To day the duke was forced to go to the race while the cabinet was held.
1788–9. Dk. Leeds, Polit. Mem. (1884), 140. There was a Cabinet at my office.
1805. Pitt, in Ld. Stanhope, Life, III. 318. A Cabinet is summoned for twelve to-morrow.
8. Cabinet Council: a. the earlier appellation of the body now styled the Cabinet: see 7 b.
Apparently introduced, at the accession of Charles I., in 1625; but the expression cabinet counsel = counsel given privately or secretly in the cabinet or private apartment, occurs earlier and, from the confusion of counsel and council, was prob. a factor in the name: see Cabinet Counsellor in 9.
[1607–12. Bacon, Counsel, Ess. (Arb.), 318. For which incoveniences the doctrine of Italy, and practize of Fraunce, [ed. 1625 in some Kings times] hath introduced Cabanett Councelles [ed. 1612 Cabanet counsels; 1625 Cabinet counsels], a remedy worse than the disease.
1623. Massinger, Dk. Milan, II. i. 10. No, those are cabinet councils, And not to be communicated, but To such as are his own, and sure.]
1632. Massinger, Maid of Hon., I. i. 6. Though a counsellor of state, I am not of the cabinet council.
1646–7. Clarendon, Hist. Reb. (1702), I. II. 117. These persons made up the Committee of State (which was reproachfully after call’d the Juncto, and enviously then in the Court the Cabinet Council). Ibid., II. § 61. That Committee of the Council which used to be consulted in secret affairs.
1649. Selden, Laws Eng., I. (1739), 201. The sense of State once contracted into a Privy Council, is soon recontracted into a Cabinet-Council, and last of all into a Favourite or two.
1668. Howe, Bless. Righteous, Wks. (1834), 250/2. To know his [i.e., God’s] Secrets; to be as it were of the Cabinet-Council.
1727. Swift, To very yng. Lady. Never take a favourite waiting-maid into your cabinet-council.
a. 1734. North, Lives, II. 51. Thus the cabinet council which at first was but in the nature of a private conversation, came to be a formal council, and had the direction of most transactions of the Government.
1846. M’Culloch, Acc. Brit. Empire (1854), II. 143. Cabinet Council.—This body, though without any recognised legal existence, constitutes, in effect, the government of the country. It consists of a certain number of privy councillors, comprising the principal ministers of the Crown for the time being, who are summoned to attend at each meeting.
b. now, A meeting or consultation of the ‘cabinet.’
1679. J. Goodman, Penitent Pardon., I. iii. (1713), 54. God Almighty … never … leaves them to guess at the transactions in his Cabinet-Council.
1688. Evelyn, Mem. (1857), II. 295. Carried to Newgate, after examination at the Cabinet Council.
1726. Berkeley, in Fraser, Life, iv. (1871), 138. The point was carried … in the cabinet council.
9. Cabinet Counsellor, a private counsellor; a member of the Cabinet.
1611. Speed, Hist. Gt. Brit., IX. vi. 3. For a Cabanet-Counsellour at all times, he had his owne Mother, Matildis the Empresse.
1633. Massinger, Guardian, II. iii. You are still my cabinet counsellors.
1640. Bastwick, Lord Bps., i. A iv. It seems he is one of Christs Cabinet Counsellors, that he is so intimately privie to his thoughts.
III. Attrib. and in Comb.
10. Of the cabinet, as a private place; private, secret.
1607–23. Cabinet Counsel [see 8].
1611–40. Cabinet Counsellor [see 9].
1638. Penit. Conf., vi. (1657), 96. That laid open their Cabinet sins.
1654. Warren, Unbelievers, 119. There are some Cabinet, secret thoughts, and purposes in God.
1655. Fuller, Ch. Hist., I. 37. As if others had not received such private Instructions as themselves, being Cabinet-Historians.
a. 1674. Clarendon, Hist. Reb. (1704), III. XI. 197. He was likewise very strict in observing the hours of his private Cabinet Devotions.
11. Of such value, beauty, or size, as to be fitted for a private chamber, or kept in a cabinet. Sometimes more or less technical, as in cabinet edition, one smaller and less costly than a library edition, but tastefully rather than cheaply got up; cabinet organ, ‘a superior class and size of reed organ’; cabinet photograph (see cabinet-sized in 14); cabinet piano, etc.
1696. Phillips, Cabinet Organ, a Portative Organ.
1708. Kersey, Cabinet-organ, a little Organ, that may be easily carry’d, or remov’d from one Place to another.
1711. Shaftesb., Charac. (1737), II. 430. One admires Musick and Paintings, Cabinet-Curiositys [printed Curositys], and in-door Ornaments.
1750. Beawes, Lex Mercat. (1752), 859. Cabinet Wares.
1817. L. Hunt, Lett., in Gentl. Mag., May (1876), 601. A cabinet piano.
1824. Miss Mitford, Village, Ser. I. (1863), 147. It is quite a cabinet picture.
1859. Gullick & Timbs, Paint., 18, note. Cabinet pictures are so named because they are so small in size as to be readily contained in a cabinet.
Mod. The Cabinet edition of Macaulay.
12. Fit for cabinet-making.
1849. Freese, Comm. Class-bk., 17. Cabinet woods, are the qualities used for making all kinds of household furniture, as mahogany, rose-wood, cedar, satin-wood.
13. Of or pertaining to the political cabinet, as cabinet minister, etc.
1817. Parl. Deb., 1356. Did any body suppose that three years spent in a cabinet office were sufficient to entitle the individual to a cabinet pension?
14. Comb. cabinet-box = CABINET 5: cabinet-founder; cabinet-sized a., of fit size for placing in a cabinet; (a photograph) of the size larger than a carte-de-visite.
1655. Marq. Worcester, Cent. Inv., Index 7. A total locking of Cabinet-boxes.
1800. New Ann. Directory, 227. Underhill, J., Cabinet-founder and Ironmonger.
1883. G. Lloyd, Ebb & Flow, II. 186. A nice cabinet-sized photograph of her.
