cabbage — ODE

cabbage /ˈkabɪdʒ

▸ noun

1 a cultivated plant eaten as a vegetable, having thick green or purple leaves surrounding a spherical heart or head of young leaves.

Brassica oleracea, family Cruciferae (or Brassicaceae; the cabbage family). As well as the brassicas, the members of this family (known as crucifers) include the mustards and cresses together with many ornamentals (candytuft, alyssum, stocks, nasturtiums, wallflowers).

▪ [mass noun] the leaves of cabbage, eaten as a vegetable:

boiled cabbage.

2 British English derogatory a person who leads a dull or inactive life:

I was becoming a 27 year-old cabbage.

▪ offensive a person whose physical or mental activity is impaired or destroyed by injury or illness.

3 US English informal paper money:

I'd have cabbage galore in the bank if I were more frugal.

– ORIGIN late Middle English: from Old French (Picard) caboche ‘head’, variant of Old French caboce, of unknown origin.