The act of stealing scraps of fabric or material during tailoring or sewing work, or more generally, taking small amounts dishonestly.
From 'cabbage' as a verb, likely derived from the Old French 'cabas' (to cut). The meaning shifted from 'cut into scraps' to 'to steal scraps,' reflecting actual tailoring workshop practices.
Tailors were so notorious for pocketing fabric scraps that this became a recognized workplace 'theft'—employers actually factored in 'cabbage' as an expected loss, making it the most honest dishonesty in medieval trade!
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