I. ˈkān noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French, from Old Occitan cana, from Latin canna, from Greek kanna, of Semitic origin; akin to Akkadian qanū reed, Hebrew qāneh
Date: 14th century
1.
a.
(1) : a hollow or pithy and usually slender and flexible jointed stem (as of a reed)
(2) : any of various slender woody stems ; especially : an elongated flowering or fruiting stem (as of a rose) usually arising directly from the ground
b. : any of various tall woody grasses or reeds: as
(1) : any of a genus ( Arundinaria ) of coarse grasses
(2) : sugarcane
(3) : sorghum
2. : cane dressed for use: as
a. : a cane walking stick ; broadly : walking stick
b. : a cane or rod for flogging
c. : rattan ; especially : split rattan for wickerwork or basketwork
3. : a tiny glass rod used in decorative glasswork (as in millefiori and paperweights)
II. transitive verb
( caned ; can·ing )
Date: 1662
1. : to beat with a cane
he sat in a professor's chair and caned sophomores for blowing spitballs — H. L. Mencken
2. : to weave or furnish with cane
cane the seat of a chair