Cabal'

Cabal', a term now employed to denote a small, intriguing, factious party, united for political or personal ends. It had been previously used to denote a secret committee or cabinet, when, during 1667-73, it was specially applied to Charles II.'s infamous ministry, consisting of five members, whose initials, by a strange coincidence, made up the word CABAL—viz. Clifford, Ashley (Shaftesbury), Buckingham, Arlington, and Lauderdale. The word goes back through French cabale to the Hebrew kabbālāh, 'something received.' See CABBALA.