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cabal

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cabal

 

  3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Cabal  \Ca*bal"\  (k[.a]*b[a^]l"),  n.  [F.  cabale  cabal,  cabala, 
  LL  cabala  cabala,  fr  Heb.  qabb[=a]l[=e]h  reception, 
  tradition,  mysterious  doctrine,  fr  q[=a]bal  to  take  or 
  receive,  in  Pi["e]l  qibbel  to  adopt  (a  doctrine).] 
  1.  Tradition;  occult  doctrine.  See  {Cabala}  [Obs.] 
  --Hakewill. 
 
  2.  A  secret.  [Obs.]  ``The  measuring  of  the  temple,  a  cabal 
  found  out  but  lately.''  --B.  Jonson 
 
  3.  A  number  of  persons  united  in  some  close  design,  usually 
  to  promote  their  private  views  and  interests  in  church  or 
  state  by  intrigue;  a  secret  association  composed  of  a  few 
  designing  persons;  a  junto. 
 
  Note:  It  so  happend,  by  a  whimsical  coincidence,  that  in  1671 
  the  cabinet  consisted  of  five  persons,  the  initial 
  letters  of  whose  names  made  up  the  word  cabal; 
  Clifford,  Arlington,  Buckingham,  Ashley,  and 
  Lauderdale.  --Macaulay. 
 
  4.  The  secret  artifices  or  machinations  of  a  few  persons 
  united  in  a  close  design;  intrigue. 
 
  By  cursed  cabals  of  women.  --Dryden. 
 
  Syn:  Junto;  intrigue;  plot;  combination;  conspiracy. 
 
  Usage:  {Cabal},  {Combination},  {Faction}.  An  association  for 
  some  purpose  considered  to  be  bad  is  the  idea  common 
  to  these  terms.  A  combination  is  an  organized  union  of 
  individuals  for  mutual  support,  in  urging  their 
  demands  or  resisting  the  claims  of  others  and  may  be 
  good  or  bad  according  to  circumstances;  as  a 
  combiniation  of  workmen  or  of  employers  to  effect  or 
  to  prevent  a  change  in  prices.  A  cabal  is  a  secret 
  association  of  a  few  individuals  who  seek  by  cunning 
  practices  to  obtain  office  and  power.  A  faction  is  a 
  larger  body  than  a  cabal,  employed  for  selfish 
  purposes  in  agitating  the  community  and  working  up  an 
  excitement  with  a  view  to  change  the  existing  order  of 
  things  ``Selfishness,  insubordination,  and  laxity  of 
  morals  give  rise  to  combinations,  which  belong 
  particularly  to  the  lower  orders  of  society.  Restless, 
  jealous,  ambitious,  and  little  minds  are  ever  forming 
  cabals.  Factions  belong  especially  to  free 
  governments,  and  are  raised  by  busy  and  turbulent 
  spirits  for  selfish  purposes''.  --Crabb. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Cabal  \Ca*bal"\,  v.  i.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Caballed}  (-b[a^]ld");  p. 
  pr  &  vb  n.  {Caballing}].  [Cf.  F.  cabaler.] 
  To  unite  in  a  small  party  to  promote  private  views  and 
  interests  by  intrigue;  to  intrigue;  to  plot. 
 
  Caballing  still  against  it  with  the  great.  --Dryden. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  cabal 
  n  1:  a  clique  that  seeks  power  usually  through  intrigue  [syn:  {faction}, 
  {junta},  {junto},  {camarilla}] 
  2:  a  plot  to  carry  out  some  harmful  or  illegal  act  (especially 
  a  political  plot)  [syn:  {conspiracy}] 
  v  :  enter  into  a  conspiracy;  "They  conspired  to  overthrow  the 
  government"  [syn:  {conspire},  {complot}]




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