Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

CAB, Kab, v.¹ “To pilfer” (Lth. 1825 Jam.²); “to steal cleverly” (Ork. 1920 J. Firth Reminisc. Ork. Par. (1922) 152, kab); to snatch by underhand methods. Known to Abd.²² 1938. Given as slang Eng. by N.E.D., Concise, and Farmer and Henley; not given at all in Un. Eng. Dict. Given as slang Sc. in E.D.D. [kɑb]Sc. 1825 Scott Journal (1890) I. (8 Dec.):
Cabbing a pension in these times is like hunting a pig with a soap'd tail, monstrous apt to slip through your fingers.Ork.¹ 1920; Cai.³ 1931:
He pretended to kab a hen.Edb. 1894 P. H. Hunter J. Inwick ix.:
A' this hillibaloo they were raisin aboot the kirk bein in danger was juist anither o' their dodges to cab a wheen Leeberal votes.