I. noun
also can·vass ˈkan-vəs
Etymology: Middle English canevas, from Anglo-French canevas, chanevaz, from Vulgar Latin * cannabaceus hempen, from Latin cannabis hemp — more at cannabis
Date: 13th century
1. : a firm closely woven cloth usually of linen, hemp, or cotton used for clothing and formerly much used for tents and sails
2. : a set of sails : sail
3. : a piece of canvas used for a particular purpose
4. : tent ; also : a group of tents
5.
a. : a piece of cloth backed or framed as a surface for a painting ; also : the painting on such a surface
b. : the background, setting, or scope of a historical or fictional account or narrative
6. : a coarse cloth so woven as to form regular meshes for working with the needle
7. : the canvas-covered floor of a boxing or wrestling ring
• can·vas·like -vəs-ˌlīk adjective
II. transitive verb
( -vased or -vassed ; -vas·ing or -vass·ing )
Date: 1556
: to cover, line, or furnish with canvas