Meaning of cupboardy | Babel Free

Definitions

1. Cupboardlike: for example small, fusty or poorly lit.
   rare
2. Associated with cupboard love.
   archaic

Examples

“Caroline and Amelia were rather short in their tempers that night at hair-brushing time, and Lucy was glad to have⟳ her funny little cupboardy room all to herself.”

“1886, A. D. T. (Adeline Dutton Train⟳) Whitney, Bonnyborough, Houghton, Mifflin, p. 129, I detest a room that is for nothing but eating; and one that is only for leather and paper and printer's ink gets cupboardy and musty in a hardly less undesirable way."”

“1889, J. E. (Jane Ellen) Panton, Bypaths and Cross-roads, Ward and Downey, p. 265, Ah ! we may smile⟳ as we walk⟳ behind our hostess as she discourses eagerly over her pickles and preserves, and we scent the queer lavender "cupboardy" smell⟳ that hangs about the upstairs rooms, each bed appropriately attired in a ghost-like dust-sheet.”

“1907, William John Thomas, Doran (John), Henry Frederick Turle, Joseph Knight, Vernon Horace Rendall, Florence Hayllar, Notes and Queries, G. Bell, etc p. 287, (editors note⟳ after a letter by Thomas Ratcliffe re cubbardy) "Cupboardy" is recorded in the 'NED' as a nonce-word, with a quotation from Miss⟳ Braddon.”

“1969, David Wright, Deafness: A personal Account, Faber & Faber, read⟳ in Jill Jepson, No Walls of Stone: An Anthology of Literature by Deaf and Hard of Hearing Writers, Gallaudet University Press⟳ (2002) →ISBN, p. 156, I was ushered along a dark cupboardy passage that led to the dining-room.”

“Down, Jack, you cupboardy dog!" The rough terrier thus unceremoniously addressed had been making a tour of inspection round Else ever since her arrival; but a sudden impression that there was such a thing as bread and butter to be had overmastered curiosity, and turning away...he sat up on end⟳ and wagged his paws just in front of his mistress.”

CEFR level