英国英语的cupboard和美国英语的closet,原义是 a space in a wall with a door that reaches the ground, used for storing things，指“贮藏间”、“壁橱”或“壁柜”，里面贮藏的除了平日不常用的东西外，还有一些家中不愿让人看见的隐私物品。

a skeleton in the cupboard和 a skeleton in the closet 的字面意思是“藏在壁柜里的骷髅”，其比喻意义是 something shocking, embarrassing, etc. that has happened to you or your family in the past that you want to keep secret，即“不可告人的隐私”或“不可外扬的家丑”。这个短语与另一个短语a family skeleton同义，例如：

1. Most families have one or two skeletons in the cupboard. 大多数家庭都有一两件不可告人的秘密。

2. Nothing’s going to be hidden, no skeletons in the cupboard, no dark secrets, and everything out in the open. 没有什么东西可以隐瞒，没有什么不可告人的隐私，没有什么隐蔽很深的秘密，所有的一切都会暴露在光天化日之下。

3. Every family has its own story—some of it good, and some not. And there are skeletons in every family’s closet. 每个家庭都有自己的故事——有的好，有的不好。家家都有不可告人的秘密。4. The Smiths regarded their daughter’s addiction to drug as a family skeleton. 史密斯夫妇把他们女儿吸毒一事视为不可外扬的家丑。to come out of the cupboard的字面意思是“走出储藏间”或“走出壁柜”，例如：

5. My parents have a new kitten that won’t come out of the cupboard she has been hiding in for 4 days. 我父母新养了一只小母猫，它在壁柜里面藏了四天，不肯走出来。

to come out of the cupboard 的比喻意义是 to admit something openly that you kept secret before, especially because of shame or embarrassment，即“公开承认秘密，尤指因耻辱或尴尬而保守的秘密”，例如：

6. His leg really hurt but he daren’t come out of his cupboard because his parents would shout at him and he hated shouting, as it made his ears ring. 他的腿真的痛，但是他不敢公开承认秘密，因为他的父母会朝他喊叫，令他难以忍受，使他耳朵嗡嗡响。

to come out of the closet 的简略形式是 to come out。这个短语常常用于同性恋者的圈子里，其意思是 to disclose one’s sexual orientation or gender identity，即“暴露自己的性恋取向或性别认同”，港台媒体将其译为“出柜”。反过来，to stay in the cupboard 和 to stay in the closet 的意思是 to hide one’s sexual orientation or gender identity, 即“隐蔽自己的性恋取向或性别认同”，例如：

7. Coming out (of the closet) is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people’s disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity. “出柜”是女同性恋者、男同性恋者、双性恋者和变性者暴露自己的性恋取向和/ 或性别认同所使用的修辞手段。

The cupboard is bare的字面意思是“壁柜里空荡荡”，例如：

8. The housewife found the cupboard was bare and the food ran out. 主妇发现壁柜里空荡荡，食物吃光了。在英国英语中，The cupboard is bare的比喻意思是 There is no money for something或 The desired resources are not available，即“差钱”、“缺钱”或“找不到钱”，例如：

9. They are seeking for more funds, but the cupboard is bare. 他们正在寻求更多的资金，但是很缺钱。

在英国英语中，cupboard love 的意思是 affection that sb. especially a child, shows towards sb. else in order to get sth.，即“另有所图的亲热”：爱的不是壁柜， 而是壁柜里藏的好吃的食物——颇有 “醉翁之意不在酒”的意味，例如：

10. The young girl’s affection for her foster parents is a pretence—simply cupboard love. 这个小女孩对养父母的爱是装出来的——只不过是“另有所图的亲热”。

11. The kitten is just making cupboard love to you. Actually, he wants to drink milk. 这小猫只是对你表示另有所图的亲热，实际上，它是想要喝奶。

12. ——The dog seems specially fond of you, Mary!——这只狗好像特别喜欢你，玛丽！——Cupboard love—I’m the one who feeds him.——这家伙另有所图——是我喂它养它呢。