/ kænt; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
[ U ] statements, especially about moral or religious issues, that are not sincere and that you cannot trust
SYN hypocrisy
■ verb
[ v , vn ] ( formal ) to be or put sth in a sloping position
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WORD ORIGIN
noun early 16th cent.: probably from Latin cantare to sing. The early meaning was musical sound, singing ; in the mid 17th cent. this gave rise to the senses whining manner of speaking and form of words repeated mechanically in this manner (for example a beggar's plea), hence jargon (of beggars and other such groups).
verb Middle English (denoting an edge or brink): from Middle Low German kant , kante , Middle Dutch cant point, side, edge, based on a Romance word related to medieval Latin cantus corner, side.