Word
cupboard
Phoneticscup·board, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈkəbɝd/
UK/kˈʌbəd/
Definitions
01storage furniture
A2 · Elementary Countable noun
n. a piece of furniture with doors and shelves where you keep food, plates, or other household items.
n. a cabinet or closet with shelves and doors, typically used for storing food, crockery, or general household supplies.
日本語:戸棚※
“She opened the kitchen cupboard to look for a clean glass.”
“The built-in cupboards in the hallway provide ample storage for linens and seasonal decorations that are not currently in use.”
Pitfall
I put the milk in the cupboard.
I put the milk in the fridge.
In modern English, a cupboard is for dry goods or dishes; cold items go in the fridge.
02a closet for coats
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun British English · Dialect
n. a small room or large cupboard used specifically for hanging coats and jackets.
n. a small closet or storage space designated for outerwear, often located near a building's entrance.
“Hang your wet jacket in the cupboard under the stairs.”
“The traditional Victorian terrace house featured a narrow cupboard in the entryway specifically designed for guests to store their coats and umbrellas.”
Synonyms
03to store or hoard
C2 · Proficiency Literary · Archaic
v. to collect and hide things away, like putting them in a cupboard.
v. to store, hoard, or stash items away as if placing them in a cupboard for safekeeping.
“He would cupboard his small treasures in a box under his bed.”
“The old miser was known to cupboard every spare coin he earned, refusing to spend even on the most basic necessities.”
Antonyms
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English cuppeborde, cupbord. Equivalent to cup + board. Phonetic variants show that the /p/ in the original forms had assimilated to the present-day /b/ by the 16th century; the etymological spelling has, however, dominated from the 18th century.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- A2 · ElementaryOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/cupboard
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0