Cabbage (kăbb&auptack_;j), n. [OE. cabage, fr. F. cabus headed (of cabbages), chou cabus headed cabbage, cabbage head; cf. It. capuccio a little head, cappuccio cowl, hood, cabbage, fr. capo head, L. caput, or fr. It. cappa cape. See Chief, Cape.] (Bot.) 1. An esculent vegetable of many varieties, derived from the wild Brassica oleracea of Europe. The common cabbage has a compact head of leaves. The cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, etc., are sometimes classed as cabbages.[1913 Webster]
2. The terminal bud of certain palm trees, used, like, cabbage, for food. See Cabbage tree, below.[1913 Webster]
3. The cabbage palmetto. See below.[1913 Webster]
Cabbage aphis (Zoöl.), a green plant-louse (Aphis brassicæ) which lives upon the leaves of the cabbage. -- Cabbage beetle (Zoöl.), a small, striped flea-beetle (Phyllotreta vittata) which lives, in the larval state, on the roots, and when adult, on the leaves, of cabbage and other cruciferous plants. -- Cabbage fly (Zoöl.), a small two-winged fly (Anthomyia brassicæ), which feeds, in the larval or maggot state, on the roots of the cabbage, often doing much damage to the crop. -- Cabbage head, the compact head formed by the leaves of a cabbage; -- contemptuously or humorously, and colloquially, a very stupid and silly person; a numskull. -- Cabbage palmetto, a species of palm tree (Sabal Palmetto) found along the coast from North Carolina to Florida. -- Cabbage rose (Bot.), a species of rose (Rosa centifolia) having large and heavy blossoms. -- Cabbage tree, Cabbage palm, a name given to palms having a terminal bud called a cabbage, as the Sabal Palmetto of the United States, and the Euterpe oleracea and Oreodoxa oleracea of the West Indies. -- Sea cabbage.(Bot.) (a) Sea kale (b). The original Plant (Brassica oleracea), from which the cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, etc., have been derived by cultivation. -- Thousand-headed cabbage. See Brussels sprouts.[1913 Webster]
Cabbage, v. i. To form a head like that the cabbage; as, to make lettuce cabbage. Johnson.[1913 Webster]
Cabbage, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Cabbaged (-b&auptack_;jd); p. pr. & vb. n. Cabbaging (-b&auptack_;j&ibreve_;ng).] [F.cabasser, fr. OF. cabas theft; cf. F. cabas basket, and OF. cabuser to cheat.] To purloin or embezzle, as the pieces of cloth remaining after cutting out a garment; to pilfer.[1913 Webster]
Your tailor . . . cabbages whole yards of cloth.
Cabbage, n. Cloth or clippings cabbaged or purloined by one who cuts out garments.[1913 Webster]