cupboard

Definition

A board or table used to openly hold and display silver plate and other dishware; a sideboard; a buffet.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English cuppeborde, cupbord. Equivalent to cup + board. Phonetic variants show that the /p/ in the original forms had assimilated to the present-day /b/ by the 16th century; the etymological spelling has, however, dominated from the 18th century.

Example Sentences

• "Cupboꝛde of plate or to ſette plate upon buffet z ma."
• "from the cobbarde byſyde owr dyninge table"
• "Now when the maids and pages all were gone, / One onely lampe upon the cubbard burning[…]"