cabbage
B1Primarily neutral/informal for the vegetable; pejorative/extended meanings are informal or slang.
Definition
Meaning
A leafy vegetable, typically green or purple, with a round head formed from tightly packed leaves, eaten cooked or raw.
1. Informally, a person perceived as inactive, dull, or lacking ambition (pejorative). 2. In medicine, a cabbage leaf can be used as a traditional remedy (e.g., for mastitis). 3. In printing, damaged or misprinted sheets.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
As a vegetable, the term is neutral and common. The pejorative sense for a person is dated and mildly offensive. The printing sense is highly specialized.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The vegetable sense is identical. The pejorative sense ('He's such an old cabbage.') is slightly more likely in British informal use but remains rare. The phrase 'cabbage patch' for a vegetable garden is common in both.
Connotations
In both, the vegetable is associated with humble, healthy, sometimes boring food. The slang term for money (to 'cabbage' meaning to steal) is obsolete and was historically British.
Frequency
High frequency for the vegetable sense in both varieties. Other senses are very low frequency.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
grow cabbageplant cabbageharvest cabbagecut (up) cabbagecook cabbageeat cabbagesmell of cabbageVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “like a head of cabbage (very dull)”
- “cabbage-patch (a small, often amateurish garden)”
- “not my cup of tea and a plate of cabbage (emphatic dislike, informal UK)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except in agriculture/food retail: 'cabbage yields', 'cabbage prices'.
Academic
Botany/Agriculture: 'Brassica oleracea var. capitata' is the scientific name.
Everyday
Very common: shopping, cooking, gardening conversations.
Technical
Printing: 'The bindery discovered a signature of cabbage.' Medicine: 'cabbage leaf compresses'.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- (obsolete slang) He managed to cabbage a few pens from the office.
American English
- (obsolete slang) The term 'cabbage' as a verb for stealing is archaic.
adjective
British English
- (rare) He had a rather cabbage-like complexion after the illness.
American English
- The room was painted a peculiar cabbage green.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I eat cabbage.
- The cabbage is green.
- We need one cabbage for the soup.
- Do you like red cabbage?
- She grew cabbages in her garden last summer.
- The smell of boiled cabbage filled the hallway.
- Despite its humble reputation, cabbage can be the star of a sophisticated dish.
- The politician's speech was utterly cabbage—devoid of any new ideas.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a CAB dragging a giant AGEing cabbage behind it. The CAB + AGE helps spell it.
Conceptual Metaphor
INANIMATE/UNRESPONSIVE OBJECT FOR A DULL PERSON (e.g., 'He just sat there like a cabbage.')
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'капуста' (kapusta) which is correct, but avoid directly translating idioms like 'проще пареной репы' – it's about turnips, not cabbage.
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling: 'cabbadge', 'cabage'. Incorrect countability: 'I bought a cabbage' (correct) vs. 'I bought cabbage' (also correct but uncountable for the food substance).
Practice
Quiz
In which context might 'cabbage' NOT refer to the vegetable?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is both. Countable when referring to whole heads ('three cabbages'). Uncountable when referring to the food as a substance ('I hate cabbage').
Cabbage and kale are closely related brassicas with tougher, often curled leaves, usually cooked. Lettuce is a different plant with tender, high-water-content leaves, almost always eaten raw in salads.
Yes, it is a mild, dated insult implying they are dull, inactive, or unintelligent. It's best avoided.
Yes, common types include green (white) cabbage, red/purple cabbage, Savoy cabbage (crinkly leaves), and Napa cabbage (Chinese cabbage), which is longer and lighter.
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