cab
gb/kˈæb/ us/kˈæb/
A2
English
~ 6600
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
entity
1
a taxi for passengers
A car that you pay to take you to a place, usually in a city.
Usage pattern:
[someone] takes a cab to [a place]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think “cab” and “taxi” are different types of vehicles. In modern English they mean the same thing in most situations; “cab” is just another word for “taxi”, especially in American English.
Synonyms
taxi (The standard and slightly more common word; meaning is the same in most situations.)
Antonyms
private car (A vehicle owned and used by an individual, not hired and paid for per journey like a cab.)
Collocations
take a cab
|hail a cab
|call a cab
|grab a cab
|share a cab
|cab ride
Themes
transport
|daily life
|transportation
|travel
|daily_life
Examples
- We decided to take a cab home because it was raining heavily.
- The cab dropped us off right outside the hotel entrance.
- She waved at the street until a cab finally pulled over.
- He ordered a cab through a ride-hailing app on his phone.
- It was too late for the subway, so they shared a cab across town.
Learner examples
- We took a cab to the airport.
- I cannot find a cab on this street.
- Let’s call a cab after the movie.
- The cab stopped in front of my house.
- He paid the cab and went into the building.
Noun
B1
entity
2
driver’s compartment of a truck
The front part of a large vehicle, like a truck or crane, where the driver sits.
Usage pattern:
[someone] sits in the cab of [a vehicle]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse this meaning with a taxi. When you see “cab of the truck”, it always means the driver’s part of a large vehicle, not a taxi.
Synonyms
cabin (Can be used for the driver’s area in some vehicles, but is more general and also used for rooms on ships or planes.)
Antonyms
trailer (In a large truck, the trailer is the back part that holds goods, opposite the front cab where the driver sits.)
Collocations
truck cab
|tractor cab
|crew cab
|cab of the truck
|sleeping cab
Themes
transport
|work
|transportation
Examples
- The driver climbed into the cab of the truck and started the engine.
- The cab of this new model is larger and more comfortable for long trips.
- He cleaned out the cab, removing old coffee cups and receipts from the floor.
- Two passengers can sit in the cab next to the driver.
- The crane operator spent all day in the narrow cab high above the ground.
Learner examples
- The driver sits in the cab of the truck.
- The cab of this truck is very small.
- He put his bag on the seat in the cab.
- They painted the cab bright blue.
- There is air conditioning in the cab for the driver.
Noun
informal
B2
entity
3
cabernet wine (informal)
An informal short word for cabernet or cabernet sauvignon, a type of red wine.
Usage pattern:
[someone] orders a cab with [food]
Common mistake:
Learners may think “cab” always means “taxi”. In restaurant or wine contexts, especially on menus or with words like “glass” or “bottle”, “cab” usually means cabernet wine.
Synonyms
cabernet (A more complete and slightly more formal name; refers to the same type of wine.)
Antonyms
white wine (Refers to wine made without red grape skins, contrasting with cab, which is a red wine.)
Collocations
a glass of cab
|a bottle of cab
|rich cab
|full-bodied cab
|California cab
Themes
food
|leisure
|food_drink
|daily_life
Examples
- He ordered a glass of cab to go with his steak.
- Do you have a good California cab on the wine list?
- She prefers a bold cab over lighter red wines.
- We brought a nice bottle of cab to the dinner party.
- The sommelier recommended a dry cab with the lamb.
Learner examples
- He ordered a glass of cab with his meal.
- They shared a bottle of cab at dinner.
- She likes cab more than white wine.
- This cab tastes strong and rich.
- He bought a cab for a special meal with friends.
Verb
informal
B1
action
4
to travel by taxi
To go to a place in a cab or taxi.
Usage pattern:
[someone] cabs to [a place]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes try to say *“I cab a taxi”*. In English you either say “I take a cab/taxi” or use the verb alone: “I cabbed home.” You do not add “taxi” or “cab” after the verb “cab”.
Synonyms
take a taxi (A more common and neutral phrase; the verb “cab” is shorter and more informal.)
Antonyms
walk (Describes going somewhere on foot instead of using a cab.)
Collocations
cab home
|cab it home
|cab across town
|cab to work
Themes
transport
|daily life
|transportation
|travel
|daily_life
Examples
- It was late, so we decided to cab home instead of taking the bus.
- They usually cab to work when it’s raining.
- We can just cab across town; it won’t take long.
- After the concert, everyone was trying to cab back to their hotels.
- She didn’t want to drive, so she cabbed it to the party.
Learner examples
- It is raining, so we will cab home.
- We can cab to the hotel from the station.
- He often cabs to work when he is late.
- They cabbed back to the house after midnight.
- Let’s not walk; let’s cab there instead.
Grammar
Dictionary form
cab
IPA
GB/kˈæb/
US/kˈæb/
Syllables & stress
cab (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (cab)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: cab
- Plural: cab, cabs
Word family
Forms
cabs
noun
Related words
cabbie
noun
cabdriver
noun
Expressions
cab home
1/kˈæb hˈoʊm/
fixed phrase
informal
go home by taxi
Go back to your home in a cab or taxi.
Examples
- It was raining hard, so I decided to cab home.
- After the concert they all cabbed home together.
cab it
1/kˈæb ˈɪt/
fixed phrase
informal
go somewhere by taxi
Go somewhere by cab instead of walking or taking a bus, train, etc.
Examples
- It’s too far to walk; let’s just cab it.
- We usually cab it home if we stay out past midnight.
cab ride
1/kˈæb ɹˈaɪd/
fixed phrase
trip taken in a taxi
A trip that you take in a cab as a passenger.
Examples
- The cab ride from the airport took about forty minutes.
- She fell asleep during the long cab ride home.
call a cab
1/kˈɔl ə kˈæb/
fixed phrase
phone or request a taxi
Use a phone or app to ask a cab company to send a taxi to you.
Examples
- Let’s call a cab; I don’t want to walk home in the dark.
- The hotel receptionist offered to call a cab for us.
get a cab
1/ɡˈɛt ə kˈæb/
fixed phrase
find or arrange a taxi
Successfully find or arrange a cab to take you to a place.
Examples
- It’s hard to get a cab at this hour.
- We finally got a cab after waiting twenty minutes.
grab a cab
1/ɡɹˈæb ə kˈæb/
fixed phrase
informal
quickly get a taxi
Quickly get and use a cab, usually for a short or fast trip.
Examples
- I’m running late, so I’ll just grab a cab.
- We grabbed a cab outside the station and went straight to the meeting.
share a cab
1/ʃˈɛɹ ə kˈæb/
fixed phrase
ride one taxi together
Use one cab with another person or group and usually split the price.
Examples
- We can share a cab to the airport and save money.
- They shared a cab back to campus after the party.
take a cab
1/tˈeɪk ə kˈæb/
fixed phrase
travel somewhere in a taxi
Go to a place in a cab or taxi.
Examples
- We’ll take a cab to the airport to save time.
- It was snowing hard, so they took a cab instead of walking.
yellow cab
1/jˈɛloʊ kˈæb/
fixed phrase
yellow-painted city taxi
A city cab that is painted yellow, especially in cities like New York.
Examples
- We waved at a yellow cab on the corner.
- Yellow cabs are easy to see in heavy traffic.
hail a cab
1/hˈeɪl ə kˈæb/
fixed phrase
signal a taxi to stop
To wave or call so that a taxi stops and takes you as a passenger.
Examples
- It is hard to hail a cab in the rain.
- She tried to hail a cab, but they were all full.
- We stepped outside the hotel to hail a cab to the airport.
- It took us fifteen minutes to hail a cab in the rain.