[a. F. cabale-r, f. cabale sb.; or ? f. the Eng. sb.]
1. intr. To combine (together) for some secret or private end. (Usually in a bad sense.)
a. 1680. [see CABALLING vbl. sb.].
1725. De Foe, Voy. round World (1840), 46. Time to club and cabal together.
1814. D’Israeli, Quarrels Auth. (1867), 409. A club of wits caballed and produced a collection of short poems.
1885. Manch. Exam., 16 June, 5/1. Caballing together for their private ends.
2. intr. To intrigue privately (against).
1680. Sir W. Soame, Art Poetry (Dryden), iv. Base rivals … Caballing still against it.
1725. De Foe, Voy. round World (1840), 28. They would be some days caballing and forming an interest among the men.
1757. Burke, Abridgm. Eng. Hist., Wks. 1842, II. 535. Elfrida caballed in favour of her son.
1789. T. Jefferson, Writ. (1859), III. 116. Time has been given to the aristocrats to recover from their panic, to cabal, to sow dissensions in the Assembly, and distrust out of it.
1818. Hallam, Mid. Ages (1872), I. 494. The barons … began to cabal against his succession.
3. refl. To bring oneself by caballing.
1790. Burke, Fr. Rev., 279. In this time he may cabal himself into a superiority over the wisest and most virtuous.
