English · Slang Historical

cabbage

Preserved but no longer current.

Meaning · English

Pieces of cloth said to be purloined by tailors. Any small profits in the way of material.

Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)

Where it’s used: Origin British & Irish English

Sources & notes

Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.

Topics: Historical slang (1800s)

Common questions

What does “cabbage” mean?

Pieces of cloth said to be purloined by tailors. Any small profits in the way of material.

Is “cabbage” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.

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