cab ‧ i ‧ net S2 W2 /ˈkæbənət, ˈkæbɪnət/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1500-1600 ; Language: French ; Origin: 'small room' , from Old North French cabine 'room for gambling' ]
1 . ( also Cabinet ) [also + plural verb] British English the politicians with important positions in a government who meet to make decisions or advise the leader of the government:
a cabinet meeting
a member of the Cabinet
⇨ Shadow Cabinet at ↑ shadow 3 (2)
2 .
a piece of furniture with doors and shelves or drawers, used for storing or showing things SYN cupboard :
the medicine cabinet
⇨ ↑ filing cabinet
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ cabinet + NOUN
▪ a cabinet meeting
A cabinet meeting will consider the government's environmental policies.
▪ a cabinet member/a member of the cabinet
Two senior cabinet members have resigned.
▪ a cabinet minister
Cabinet ministers voted against the proposal.
▪ a cabinet reshuffle (=when members of a cabinet are given a different job)
Putin promoted his Defence Minister in a surprising cabinet reshuffle.
▪ a cabinet post (=a job in a cabinet)
She accepted a cabinet post with the new Conservative government.
■ verbs
▪ appoint a cabinet
The Prime Minister appoints the cabinet.
▪ form a cabinet
Ministers remain in office until a new cabinet is formed.
▪ join a cabinet
Lee was considered a likely candidate to join the cabinet.
▪ the cabinet meets
The cabinet will meet again on April 30th.
■ adjectives
▪ the inner cabinet (=only the most important members)
He was a member of Howard's inner cabinet.
▪ the full cabinet (=all the members)
There was a meeting of the full cabinet.
▪ the shadow cabinet (=the most important members of the opposition party)
He joined the shadow cabinet as transport spokesman.