I. ˈkant adjective
Etymology: Middle English, probably from (assumed) Middle Low German kant (whence Low German kant )
dialect England : lively , vigorous , cheerful
II. ˈkant, -aa(ə)-, -ai- noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, probably from Middle Dutch or Old North French; Middle Dutch, edge, from Old North French, from Latin cantus, canthus iron ring round a carriage wheel, perhaps of Celtic origin; akin to Welsh cant rim, Breton cant circle; akin to Greek kanthos corner of the eye, Russian kut corner
1. obsolete : corner , nook , niche
2. : an outer or external angle (as of a building)
3.
a. : a frame joined obliquely to the keel of a ship
b. : a segment forming a sidepiece in the head of a cask
4.
[probably modification of Dutch kanthout, from kant edge + hout wood; akin to Old English holt wood — more at holt ]
: a log slabbed on one or more sides
5.
a. : a sudden thrust producing a bias
b. : the bias so given
to give a beam a cant
6. : an oblique or slanting surface (as of a polygon, a buttress, or a bank)
7. : an inclination from a horizontal, vertical, or other given line : slope , bevel , tilt
the cant of a gun barrel
cant of a helm
III. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
transitive verb
1. : to give a cant or oblique edge to : cut off an angle from (as the head of a bolt) : bevel — often used with off
cant off a corner
2. : to slab (a log) thereby producing cants
3. : to set at an angle : tip or tilt up or over : slope , slant , incline
cant a cask
cant a ship
4. : to turn completely : turn upside down — often used with over
cant over a net
5. : to turn or throw off or out by tilting or rotating
cant a rifle
6. chiefly Britain : to give a sudden turn or new direction to : pitch especially by an unexpected lurch : throw with a sudden jerk : toss
cant round a piece of timber
intransitive verb
1. : to pitch to one side : lean , tilt
the canting deck of a destroyer
: turn — often used with over
the ship canted over
2. : to have a sloping position : slant , slope
a canting yardarm
3. of a ship : to move into or assume a position oblique to a defined direction or course : change direction or swing from a position — sometimes used with round or across
IV. adjective
1. : having canted corners or sides
a cant molding
2. : inclined from a perpendicular or other given straight line : sloping , slanting, canting , canted
a cant buttress
V. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: probably from Old North French canter to tell, say, literally, to sing, chant, from Latin cantare to sing — more at chant
intransitive verb
1. : to speak in a whining voice or an affected singsong tone : beg
bade me cant and whine in some other place — Samuel Johnson
2. : to use or speak in cant (as that of thieves or gypsies) or technical terms
3. dialect England : talk , gossip
4. : to talk with an affectation of piety : use religious or solemn language insincerely to gain a reputation for goodness or piety : practice hypocrisy
cant about brotherly love
let them jabber and cant — Rose Macaulay
transitive verb
1. : to speak or utter as cant or in a manner suggestive of cant especially of a particular subject, school, or specialty
2. dialect England : wheedle , indulge
VI. noun
( -s )
Usage: often attributive
1. : affected singsong speech
a beggar's cant
2.
a. : argot 1
b. obsolete : the phraseology peculiar to a religious class or sect
c. : jargon I 3a
3.
a. obsolete : a set form of words
b. : a set or stock phrase : slang
a cant phrase
4. : the expression or repetition of conventional, trite, or unconsidered ideas, opinions, or sentiments ; especially : the insincere use of pious phraseology
5. obsolete : a user of religious cant : hypocrite
6. chiefly Scotland : gossip
Synonyms: see dialect
VII. ˈkant noun
(-s)
Etymology: modification of Middle French encant, inquant, from Medieval Latin incantum, inquantus, from in quantum for how much, from Latin in + quantum, accusative neuter of quantus how much — more at in , quantity
1. chiefly Irish : auction
2. civil law : a mode of partitioning property held in common by sale at auction
VIII. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
chiefly Irish : to sell by auction