cupboardcup‧board /ˈkʌbəd $ -ərd/ ●●● S2 noun [countable] 
Word Origin
It’s in the kitchen cupboard. The cupboard doors were open.2the cupboard is bare used to say that there is no money etc left that can be used: The workers have been told not to expect a pay rise because the cupboard is bare. → airing cupboard, → skeleton in the cupboard at skeleton(5)COLLOCATIONStypes of cupboarda kitchen cupboard· The kitchen cupboards were empty.a bathroom/hall/bedroom cupboard British English· Your boots are in the hall cupboard.a built-in/fitted cupboard British English (=ones that are there permanently and cannot be moved)· The kitchen has built-in cupboards.a wall cupboard British English (=fixed to the wall, not on the floor)· Wall cupboards provide extra storage in the garage.a storage cupboard British English (=for storing things)· There's a storage cupboard under the stairs.a food/medicine/clothes cupboard British English· The medicine cupboard's in the bathroom.a drinks cupboard British English (=for drinks, especially alcoholic ones)· He went to the drinks cupboard and poured a whisky.an airing cupboard British English (=a warm cupboard for sheets and towels)a linen cupboard British English (=for sheets and towels)a broom cupboard (=for brushes and other things you use to clean the house)a bedside cupboard British English (=a small cupboard beside a bed)
Word OriginWORD ORIGINcupboard
ExamplesOrigin:
1500-1600 cupboard ‘shelf or table for cups’ (14-18 centuries)EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
Thesaurus- There's a lot of cupboard space in this kitchen.
- Above it, on the wall itself, were great tea-chest-sized oak cupboards.
- Donorlabeled cupboards filled with shallow drawers of shells line one side of the upstairs office area.
- Inspectors told of finding a sickening harvest of leaves, grease and dead insects in cupboards and drawers.
- Older gardening books may recommend a cool cupboard indoors for plunging.
- Or you could line the walls with bookshelves from waist-level, with cupboards underneath to provide storage and serving space.
- So the Wicked Witch took the Golden Cap from her cupboard and placed it upon her head.
- There was, in her cupboard, a Golden Cap, with a circle of diamonds and rubies running round it.
Longman Language Activatorsomething that is secret► secret
Collocations something that you do not want other people to know about: · I'm not supposed to be telling you this, it's a secret.· Only Jasper knew my secret.tell somebody a secret: · Come over here, Luke wants to tell you a secret.remain/stay a secret: · We lived in a small village and I knew that the news wouldn't remain a secret for very long.trade secret (=information that a company keeps secret from other companies): · The task force will concentrate on stopping the theft of trade secrets.state secret (=information that a government keeps secret): · A scientist has been arrested for revealing state secrets concerning chemical weapons.family secret (=one that only some members of a family know about): · It's one of those family secrets that we don't talk about much.a closely-guarded/well kept secret (=one that is kept very secret): · His whereabouts are a closely-guarded secret.the secret is out/the secret comes out (=when people get to know something that was being kept secret): · Yes, the secret's out I'm afraid. I'm to be a grandmother.
► skeleton in your cupboard British /skeleton in your closet American a secret about yourself that you have kept hidden for a long time because you are ashamed or embarrassed about it: · None of us is perfect -- we all have a little skeleton somewhere in the closet that we'd rather other people didn't know about.
WORD SETS► Furnitureantique, nounarm, nounarmchair, nounback, nounbeanbag, nounbed, nounbedhead, nounbedpost, nounbedstead, nounbookcase, nounbookshelf, nounbuffet, nounbunk, nounbureau, nouncanopy, nouncard table, nouncarrycot, nouncart, nouncatchall, nounchair, nounchaise longue, nounchesterfield, nounchest of drawers, nouncoat rack, nouncoatstand, nouncoffee table, nouncommode, nouncot, nouncouch, nouncounter, nouncupboard, noundeckchair, noundesk, noundining table, noundivan, noundouble bed, noundrawer, noundresser, noundustsheet, nouneasy chair, nounescritoire, nounfireguard, nounfirescreen, nounfitment, nounfitted, adjectivefloor lamp, nounfoldaway, adjectivefolding, adjectivefootrest, nounfootstool, nounfour-poster bed, nounfuton, nounGeorgian, adjectivegramophone, noungrandfather clock, noungrate, nounhat stand, nounheadboard, nounheadrest, nounhighboy, nounhighchair, nounhorsehair, nounhot tub, nounhutch, nounJacuzzi, nounlamp, nounlampshade, nounlawn chair, nounleg, nounlooking glass, nounlove seat, nounmattress, nounnightlight, nounnightstand, nounoccasional table, nounottoman, nounpadded, adjectivepedestal, nounpouffe, nounradiogram, nounrocker, nounrocking chair, nounrococo, adjectiveseat, nounsettee, nounshelf, nounshelving, nounsideboard, nounslipcover, nounsofa, nounsofa bed, nounsprung, adjectivestand, nounstandard lamp, nounstool, nounstuffing, nounsuite, nounswivel chair, nountable, nountallboy, nountea chest, nounthree-piece suite, nounthrone, nountwin bed, noununit, nounupholster, verbupholstery, nounveneer, nounveneered, adjectivewardrobe, nounwashstand, nounwaterbed, nounWelsh dresser, nounwindow seat, nounwork-surface, nounwriting desk, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRYtypes of cupboard► a kitchen cupboard
1a piece of furniture with doors, and sometimes shelves, used for storing clothes, plates, food etc → closet, wardrobe, cabinet: · The kitchen cupboards were empty.
► a bathroom/hall/bedroom cupboard British English· Your boots are in the hall cupboard.
► a built-in/fitted cupboard British English (=ones that are there permanently and cannot be moved)· The kitchen has built-in cupboards.
► a wall cupboard British English (=fixed to the wall, not on the floor)· Wall cupboards provide extra storage in the garage.
► a storage cupboard British English (=for storing things)· There's a storage cupboard under the stairs.
► a food/medicine/clothes cupboard British English· The medicine cupboard's in the bathroom.
► a drinks cupboard British English (=for drinks, especially alcoholic ones)· He went to the drinks cupboard and poured a whisky.
► an airing cupboard British English (=a warm cupboard for sheets and towels)
► a linen cupboard British English (=for sheets and towels)
► a broom cupboard (=for brushes and other things you use to clean the house)
► a bedside cupboard British English (=a small cupboard beside a bed)
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES► the cupboard door British English, the closet door American English· Both the cupboard doors were locked.
► the key to a door/house/cupboard (=the key that opens a door/house/cupboard)· Has anyone seen the key to the garage door?
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE► fitted· Then he opened one of the doors of the fitted cupboards.· Bedroom 10' 5 × 8' 5 Window to rear, fitted cupboard.· Now, the kitchen is charming yet functional, with fitted heavy duty cupboards, red-tiled worksurfaces and a window seat.
► large· There was hardly room to move for large chairs and cupboards.· They fill several large cupboards around the house.· To his right, stood a large walk-in cupboard marked as chemical storage, its door slightly ajar.· All this is stored and cared for in the six large unheated cupboards in the linen room.
► small· Tom unpacked the haversack and wandered round the room putting the groceries away on shelves and into small cupboards.· A small hanging cupboard with one shelf costs £53 painted, £33.55 unpainted.· There are two chairs and a small cupboard in the South West corner of the room.· Or try installing a length of the famous Shaker pegged wall-rail for hanging small cupboards, shelves, mirrors and even chairs.
NOUN► airing· Even a well-lagged cylinder will still give off enough heat to air clothes if your cylinder is in an airing cupboard.· A discussion I overheard concerned the merits of an airing cupboard as winter quarters for fly-traps.· Neither the airing cupboard nor the garden shed in winter are satisfactory.· In winter, put them in the airing cupboard.· Separate airing cupboard with foam dipped hot water cylinder, immersion heater and timer for boiler.· Built-in airing cupboard incorporating lagged hot water tank and immersion heater.· Unfortunately there was no airing cupboard.· Placing the books or presses in an airing cupboard will speed up the pressing process slightly without damaging the flowers.
► broom· I mean, that bit in the broom cupboard - oh, you didn't see it, did you?· It's the same place Boris Becker got his mistress pregnant in the broom cupboard.· The only open door led to a broom cupboard.· Add to that a groom in a broom cupboard with the bridesmaid and a case of mistaken identities.· Get cleaning bucket and powder and disinfectant from the broom cupboard.
► door· Above: Made-to-measure hot water cylinder fits neatly under sink, hidden by cupboard doors.· Blindly, I opened a cupboard door, but all I found were tin plates.· He eased the cupboard doors closed to get past them and nudged the bedroom door open with his toe-cap.· No drawers gaped open, no cupboard doors swung free.· He didn't open the cupboard door till he heard Ivan's voice calling when he came in.· I slowly closed the cupboard door and then settled down in my bed.· He tore open the cupboard door and peered at the tiny porthole of glass on the front of the central heating boiler.
► food· Also the food cupboard is on the wall which is very damp.· I knew, Lee thought, as she stacked tins and packets in the food cupboard, I knew.· Assignments 1 Look in your food cupboard or fridge and select three products.· Alternatively, look in the food cupboard for a suitable plastic container.· Clear out your food cupboard and throw away everything that will not travel well, such as leaky, crushable or carbonated goods.
► fume· Not only does it increase building fabric losses, but it also increases losses through fume cupboards and open windows.· This addition complements Labspace's existing business in the manufacture of lab furniture, fume cupboards and associated equipment.· Caution! heat and fumes and evolved, so best carried out in fume cupboard.· The extraction of expensively heated warm air from the laboratory through fume cupboards is another area of concern.
► hall· At the hall cupboard she stopped, taking a deep steadying breath to calm the currents suddenly eddying through her body.· They were in the hall cupboard.· It was years later that she confessed to cheating and hiding in the hall cupboard.
► kitchen· The sun-and-moon chart hangs on the kitchen cupboard, where we can consult it.· So it was with my reading lessons; so it was with the newfound plenty jammed into the kitchen cupboards.· Another residents discovered rats had got into a kitchen cupboard and eaten packets of food.· I can find my way up in the dark, or fetch a candle from the kitchen cupboard for myself.· She put everything away in the kitchen cupboards, then went out to lock the car.· She dusted behind the books, dusted the books, scoured the cooker and did out the kitchen cupboards.· Five minutes later and after exploration in all the kitchen cupboards, Robyn had found matches, and some old newspapers.· Then the boat seemed to bump against some solid object, making the contents of the kitchen cupboards rattle.
► store· Using leftovers and store cupboard items, you will have made a meal that many people pay several pounds for in restaurants.· Here's how to create delicious last-minute meals entirely from standbys in the store cupboard.· In the store cupboard, he found a can of beef stew and dumped it in a saucepan to heat.· Research revealed that people were prepared to buy raisins, but only as an ingredient for the store cupboard.· She would have to go downstairs to find and fetch a new one from the store cupboard in the kitchen.
► wall· Sink and drainer with cupboards and drawers beneath. Wall cupboards.· Can be hung under a wall cupboard or built in.· Horizontal location was not too critical in the absence of wall cupboards.· Single drainer stainless steel sink unit with drawer and cupboard under. Wall cupboards.
VERB► hide· Above: Made-to-measure hot water cylinder fits neatly under sink, hidden by cupboard doors.· Four others survived by hiding behind a cupboard, ducking under a bed and dangling out a window.· Ginny had hidden in the big cupboard in the dining room.· Lock the door and hide in the cupboard.
► keep· So I use the ordinary detergents that I keep in the cupboard for hand-washing and this works very well for me.· All chemicals and cleansing products must be kept in locked cupboards, and access to these carefully controlled.· In the meantime, Jean is keeping the blanket cupboard well stocked for the winter.· Frequent washing weakened the fibres, so items taken in strict rotation made it necessary to keep a well-stocked cupboard.
► open· She stepped over him, going through to the kitchen and opening the booze cupboard.· Forget sophisticated economic models, just open up your cupboard.· Twenty-three Aileen Farquar opened her clothes cupboard and pulled a chair up.· Blindly, I opened a cupboard door, but all I found were tin plates.· But after I opened the cupboard, I began to think.· He didn't open the cupboard door till he heard Ivan's voice calling when he came in.· I opened a cupboard and about fifty pairs of Signe's shoes fell over me.· Ellis opened the cupboard and took out a small black plastic suitcase.
It’s in the kitchen cupboard. The cupboard doors were open.2the cupboard is bare used to say that there is no money etc left that can be used: The workers have been told not to expect a pay rise because the cupboard is bare. → airing cupboard, → skeleton in the cupboard at skeleton(5)COLLOCATIONStypes of cupboarda kitchen cupboard· The kitchen cupboards were empty.a bathroom/hall/bedroom cupboard British English· Your boots are in the hall cupboard.a built-in/fitted cupboard British English (=ones that are there permanently and cannot be moved)· The kitchen has built-in cupboards.a wall cupboard British English (=fixed to the wall, not on the floor)· Wall cupboards provide extra storage in the garage.a storage cupboard British English (=for storing things)· There's a storage cupboard under the stairs.a food/medicine/clothes cupboard British English· The medicine cupboard's in the bathroom.a drinks cupboard British English (=for drinks, especially alcoholic ones)· He went to the drinks cupboard and poured a whisky.an airing cupboard British English (=a warm cupboard for sheets and towels)a linen cupboard British English (=for sheets and towels)a broom cupboard (=for brushes and other things you use to clean the house)a bedside cupboard British English (=a small cupboard beside a bed)