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• cab
  cab

  noun

  a taxicab.
• CAB
  CAB

  Civil Aeronautics Board.

cab

¹ American  

[kab] / kæb /

noun

1. a taxicab.

   Synonyms:

   jitney, hackney, hack

2. any of various horse-drawn vehicles, as a hansom or brougham, especially one for public hire.

   Synonyms:

   jitney, hackney, hack

3. the covered or enclosed part of a locomotive, truck, crane, etc., where the operator sits.

4. the glass-enclosed area of an airport control tower in which the controllers are stationed.

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verb (used without object)

cabbed, cabbing

1. to ride in a taxicab or horse-drawn cab.

   They cabbed to the theater.

cab ² American  

[kab] / kæb /

Or kab

noun

1. an ancient Hebrew measure equal to about two quarts.

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cab ³ American  

[kab] / kæb /

noun

Chiefly British.

1. cabbage.

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CAB ⁴ American  

Or C.A.B.

1. Civil Aeronautics Board.

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cab ¹ British  

/ kæb /

noun

1. 1. a taxi

   2. ( as modifier )

      a cab rank

2. the enclosed compartment of a lorry, locomotive, crane, etc, from which it is driven or operated

3. (formerly) a light horse-drawn vehicle used for public hire

4. informal the first person, etc, to do or take advantage of something

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CAB ² British  

abbreviation

1. (in Britain) Citizens' Advice Bureau

2. (in the US) Civil Aeronautics Board

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cab ³ British  

/ kæb /

noun

1. an ancient Hebrew measure equal to about 2.3 litres (4 pints)

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Etymology

Origin of cab¹

First recorded in 1640–50; short for cabriolet

Origin of cab²

First recorded in 1525–35; from Hebrew qabh

Explanation

A cab is a taxi, a car whose driver you pay to take you where you need to go. It can feel like a competitive sport to hail a cab in New York City. Your cab driver may talk incessantly while she drives you to the airport, or you might ride in a cab that's silent except for the sound of its horn honking at other drivers. You can also call the front part of a truck, where the driver sits, the cab. In the 1820s, the word meant "horse-drawn carriage," short for the French cabriolet, "leap or caper." The Latin root is capreolus, "wild goat."

Example Sentences

He echoed the story he’d told the FBI—that he’d learned of the bombing from someone at his apartment—but then said he’d heard about it during a cab ride.

From Slate • Jul. 7, 2026

"We've had drivers who've gone through formal training, who've got height indicators in the cab, and yet they still hit bridges," he said.

From BBC • Jul. 5, 2026

Ralph Caruso, 76, currently owns a 2008 Ranger with an extended cab that provides small fold-up seats in the back.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 29, 2026

Police found a 15-foot U-Haul truck abandoned on private property with two dogs in the cab.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 14, 2026

“War? I’ve been there,” a cab driver said.

From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin

Related Words

• carriage
• taxi
• taxicab