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cupboard

cupboard

79 1.0
A cabinet with shelves for storing dishes or food
  • noun
  • /ˈkʌbərd/
translation icon : armario
  • The dishes are stored in the cupboard above the sink.
  • cupboard shelves
  • books in the cupboard
  • cupboard space

Throw out the junk food in the cupboard and stick to eating real foods.

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Examples

  • The bathroom is down the hall on the left and there's some fresh towels in the cupboard by the sink.

  • Mother and I had put two chickens to freeze in the porch cupboard three days ago.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • So I actually keep in my little cupboard here a box.

  • It's in that top cupboard up there.

  • Do you have anything for it in your medicine cupboard?

  • This is actually a toy cupboard for the kids.

  • In the cupboard by the fridge.

  • Throw out the junk food in the cupboard and stick to eating real foods.

  • The first cupboard on the right-- the one that says "clean rags".

  • One by one she opened the cupboard doors, climbing on a chair to investigate the farthest corners.

    Fiction book (1992)

Synonyms

closet
vscupboard
  • US
755 1.0

A small space for keeping clothes and other things

is a general storage unit not limited to clothing
cabinet
vscupboard
168 1.3

A piece of furniture with shelves or drawers for storing things

is a specific word for a shelved storage space in a home
pantry
vscupboard
76 1.0

A small room or cupboard in a house where people keep food and dishes

is a more general shelved storage spot inside the home
medicine cabinet
vscupboard
26 1.3

A small cabinet in a bathroom that holds medicines and first-aid items

is a broader household storage space not tied to a bathroom
armoire
vscupboard
21 8.1

A large cupboard that stands on the floor for storing clothes and household items

is a general storage unit, not necessarily large or ornate
dresser
vscupboard
  • UK
14 1.6

A piece of furniture with shelves and drawers for storing and showing dishes

is a simpler shelved space without integrated drawer arrangement
credenza
vscupboard
8 8.3

A long low cabinet with cupboards for holding dishes or serving food in a dining room

is any shelved storage space rather than a serving furniture piece
kitchen cabinet
vscupboard
  • US
5 1.6

A cupboard in a kitchen for storing dishes and food

is a broader home storage term not limited to kitchens
hutch
vscupboard
  • US
4 2.7

A piece of furniture with shelves or drawers for dishes

focuses on general storage on simple shelves rather than display
china cabinet
vscupboard
3 2.6

A cabinet with glass doors for storing and showing fine dishes like teacups

is used for ordinary stored household items rather than display
china closet
vscupboard
1 3.7

A cabinet with glass doors for storing and showing plates and cups

serves everyday storage needs rather than focusing on display
larder
vscupboard
  • Archaic
1 7.7

A small room or cupboard for keeping food

is a household storage space for varied items, not only food
safe
vscupboard
  • Archaic
1 7.2

A cupboard that keeps food away from insects and mice

is ordinary shelving not designed for temperature control or pest protection
aumbry
vscupboard
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A small cupboard set into a wall in a church or old house for storing things

tends to be a freestanding or varied placement storage space
cellaret
vscupboard
  • Archaic
9.9

A small cabinet with spaces for keeping wine or liquor bottles

is a general shelved storage place for many household goods
airing cupboard
vscupboard
  • UK
6.8

A warm cupboard that has a water heater and keeps towels and sheets dry

is for general storage rather than drying or airing fabrics
spence
vscupboard
  • Archaic
9.9

A small room in a house for keeping food and kitchen items

applies to any home storage with shelves, not only old layouts
still room
vscupboard
  • Archaic
9.9

A small room near the kitchen where drinks and preserves are made and stored

is a simple home storage space not devoted to food preparation

Idioms

1 6.9

There is no food left at home

An embarrassing secret from someone's past that they keep hidden

Compounds

A cupboard or pantry that has no food

cry cupboard
  • Literature
9.9

A private place where you go to be alone and let out your feelings

cupboard love
  • Archaic
8.3

Love or attention shown to get a reward rather than real feeling

A warm cupboard that has a water heater and keeps towels and sheets dry

How Big

pantry
76 1.0
wardrobe
35 1.0
cupboard
79 1.0
cabinet
168 1.3
shelf
369 1.0

Surface Forms

cupboard singular
cupboards plural

Morphology

cupboard = cup + board (semi-transparent) = cup + board

The components 'cup' and 'board' are recognisable, but the modern sense 'cabinet' reflects a historical shift from a simple board for cups to an enclosed storage unit, so the meaning is not fully predictable.

Etymology

The word cupboard began as the two words cup and board, where board meant a 'shelf' or 'table' for holding cups and dishes. That's why cupboard came to mean a small cabinet or space where we store kitchen items today.