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

Look at the stranglehold ridesharing apps have on hailing a cab.

From Salon • Apr. 13, 2026

They were rejected by multiple Uber drivers and failed to flag down a black cab, before they began walking along the promenade in a bid to reach the ceremony on time.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

Back in Miami, I hopped a cab to my grandmother’s apartment.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

There are interviews that we have with cab drivers, it’s not just people who are playing a big role.

From Slate • Mar. 25, 2026

I tried to think of a way to explain what we were doing in a cab, but I couldn’t think of a single good lie.

From "From the Desk of Zoe Washington" by Janae Marks

Related Words

• carriage
• taxi
• taxicab