cabinet

Everyday

1. A cabinet is a cupboard with shelves or drawers and usually doors, used to store or show things: a kitchen cabinet, a bathroom cabinet. tree →
2. The Cabinet is the group of the most important ministers who help lead a government and make big decisions. tree →
3. A display cabinet is a glass cupboard for showing precious things. tree →
4. A cabinet can also be a small private room, often one filled with mirrors or treasures. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life and safety lessons, medicines and cleaning products are kept in high or locked cabinets away from small children. In citizenship lessons (UK, Canada, Australia, NZ, Ireland, US), the Cabinet is led by the prime minister or president. In museums, objects are shown in glass cabinets. Phrases: «kitchen cabinet», «filing cabinet», «medicine cabinet», «Cabinet minister».

Examples

• The plates are in the kitchen cabinet. tree →
• Keep medicines in a locked cabinet. tree →
• Dad keeps papers in a metal filing cabinet. tree →
• The trophy is in the glass cabinet at school. tree →
• The Prime Minister met the Cabinet today. tree →
• The bathroom cabinet has a mirror on its door. tree →
• Close the cabinet doors so you don't bump your head. tree →
• A Cabinet minister is in charge of schools. tree →
• The tiny door swung back, and a soft crimson light gleamed over the whole cabinet. tree →

Note

Countable. When it means the government group, often capital C: the Cabinet. Safety: never take medicine from a cabinet without an adult; cleaning liquids are poisonous.

In Jewish tradition

Here it means a private inner room of a house, the cool chamber where the king was.

Interpretation. The story of Eglon shows him alone in his cool upper room. His servants' mistake gave Ehud time to escape.

Examples

• Now when he was gone out, his servants came; and they saw, and, behold, the doors of the upper chamber were locked; and they said: 'Surely he is covering his feet in the cabinet of the cool chamber.' (Prophets JDG.3.24, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Countable. When it means the government group, often capital C: the Cabinet. Safety: never take medicine from a cabinet without an adult; cleaning liquids are poisonous.