"Jewish mystic philosophy," 1520s, also quabbalah, etc., from Medieval Latin cabbala, from Mishnaic Hebrew qabbalah "reception, received lore, tradition," especially "tradition of mystical interpretation of the Old Testament," from qibbel "to receive, admit, accept." Compare Arabic qabala "he received, accepted." Hence "any secret or esoteric science." Related: Cabbalist.

"of or pertaining to cabbalists or the cabbala," 1620s, from cabbala + -istic. Cabbalistical is from 1590s.

also cabby, "cab-driver," 1848, from cab (n.) + -ie. Also see taxi (n.).

pole used in housebuilding, especially as an object tossed in the Highland games, 1510s, from Gaelic cabar "pole, spar," cognate with Irish cabar "lath," Welsh ceibr "beam, rafter."

family of grapes, or wine made from them, 1833, from French. There seems to be no general agreement on the etymology; the word seems not very old in French and is from the Médoc dialect. Supposedly the best of them, cabernet sauvignon is attested in English from 1846.

mid-14c., "small house or habitation," especially one rudely constructed, from Old French cabane "hut, cottage, small house," from Old Provençal cabana, from Late Latin capanna "hut" (source also of Spanish cabana, Italian capanna); a word of doubtful origin. Modern French cabine (18c.), Italian cabino are English loan-words.

The meaning "room or partition of a ship" (later especially one set aside for use of officers) is from mid-14c. Cabin fever is recorded by 1918 in the "need to get out and about" sense; earlier (1820s) it was a term for typhus.

1540s, "secret storehouse, treasure chamber; case for valuables," from French cabinet "small room" (16c.), diminutive of Old French cabane "cabin" (see cabin); perhaps influenced by (or from) Italian gabbinetto, diminutive of gabbia, from Latin cavea "stall, stoop, cage, den for animals" (see cave (n.)).

The meaning "case for safe-keeping" (of papers, liquor, etc.) is from 1540s, gradually shading to mean a piece of furniture that does this. The sense of "private room where advisers meet" (c. 1600) led to the modern political meaning "an executive council" (1640s); perhaps originally short for cabinet council (1620s); compare board (n.1) in its evolution from place where some group meets to the word for the meeting group. From 1670s also "building or part of a building set aside for the conservation and study of natural specimens, art, antiquities, etc."

"one whose occupation is the making of household furniture," 1680s, from cabinet + maker.

1825, "the art or craft of making cabinets;" 1857, "cabinets collectively;" from cabinet + -ry.

c. 1200, "large, strong rope or chain used on a ship," from Old North French cable, from Medieval Latin capulum "lasso, rope, halter for cattle," from Latin capere "to take, seize," from PIE root *kap- "to grasp."

Technically, in nautical use, a rope 10 or more inches around, to hold the ship when at anchor; in non-nautical use, a rope of wire (not hemp or fiber). It was given a new range of senses in 19c. in telegraphy (1850s), traction-railroads (1880s), etc. The meaning "message received by telegraphic cable" is from 1883, short for cable message (1870), cablegram (1868), cable dispatch (1864). Cable television is attested by 1963; shortened form cable in this sense is from 1970.

Speed, speed the Cable; let it run,

   A loving girdle round the earth,

Till all the nations 'neath the sun

   Shall be as brothers at one hearth;

[T. Buchanan Read, "The Cable," 1858]