cup‧board S2 / kʌbəd $ -ərd / 名词 [可数名词]

1 a piece of furniture with doors, and sometimes shelves, used for storing clothes, plates, food etc → closet , wardrobe , cabinet :

It’s in the kitchen cupboard.

The cupboard doors were open.

2 the 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 )

COLLOCATIONS

types of cupboard

a 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 )