[can.cel] vb -celed or -celled ; -cel.ing or -cel.ling [ME cancellen, fr. MF canceller, fr. LL cancellare, fr. L, to make like a lattice, fr. cancelli (pl.), dim. of cancer lattice, prob. alter. of carcer prison] vt (14c) 1 a: to destroy the force, effectiveness, or validity of: annul "~ a magazine subscription" "a ~ed check" b: to bring to nothingness: destroy c: to match in force or effect: offset--often used with out "his irritability ~ed out his natural kindness --Osbert Sitwell" d: to call off usu. without expectation of conducting or performing at a later time "~ a football game"
2. a: to mark or strike out for deletion b: omit, delete 3 a: to remove (a common divisor) from numerator and denominator b: to remove (equivalents) on opposite sides of an equation or account
4: to deface (a postage or revenue stamp) esp. with a set of ink lines so as to invalidate for reuse ~ vi: to neutralize each other's strength or effect: counterbalance -- can.cel.able or can.cel.la.ble adj -- can.cel.er or can.cel.ler n
[2]cancel n (1806) 1: cancellation
2. a: a deleted part or passage b (1): a leaf containing matter to be deleted (2): a new leaf or slip substituted for matter already printed