The AI-powered English dictionary
plural cabals
A secret political clique or faction. quotations examples
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;...
1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XII, in Francesca Carrara. […], volume III, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), page 91
(derogatory) A putative, secret organization of individuals gathered for a political purpose. examples
A secret plot. examples
An identifiable group within the tradition of Discordianism. quotations examples
Some episkoposes have a one-man cabal. Some work together. Some never do explain.
1965, Greg Hill, Kerry Thornley, Principia Discordia
third-person singular simple present cabals, present participle cabaling or caballing, simple past and past participle cabaled or caballed
(intransitive) To engage in the activities of a cabal. quotations examples
[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, […]
1704, [Jonathan Swift], “Section I. The Introduction.”, in A Tale of a Tub. […], London: […] John Nutt, […], page 45
[…] 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.
1840, George Payne Rainsford James, The King’s Highway, volume I, pages 68–69
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.
1847 January – 1848 July, William Makepeace Thackeray, Vanity Fair […], London: Bradbury and Evans […], published 1848