cabal
noun [ C ] disapproving uk/kəˈbæl/ us/kəˈbɑːl/
（尤指策划政治行动的）阴谋小集团，阴谋团伙
a small group of people who plan secretly to take action, especially political action
He was assassinated by a cabal of aides within his own regime. 他被自己政权内部的幕僚们所组成的阴谋集团暗杀了。