cant

cant
{{11}}cant (1) "insincere talk," 1709, earlier it was slang for "whining of beggars" (1640s), from a verb in this sense (1560s), from O.N.Fr. canter (O.Fr. chanter) "to sing, chant," from L. cantare, frequentative of canere "to sing" (see CHANT (Cf. chant)). Sense in English developed after 1680 to mean the jargon of criminals and vagabonds, thence applied contemptuously by any sect or school to the phraseology of its rival.
{{12}}cant (2) "slant," late 14c., Scottish, "edge, brink," from O.N.Fr. cant "corner" (perhaps via M.L.G. kante or M.Du. kant), from V.L. *canthus, from L. cantus "iron tire of a wheel," possibly from a Celtic word meaning "rim of wheel, edge" (Cf. Welsh cant "bordering of a circle, tire, edge," Breton cant "circle"), from PIE *kam-bo- "corner, bend," from root *kemb- "to bend, turn, change" (Cf. Gk. kanthos "corner of the eye," Rus. kutu "corner").

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  • Cant — or canting may refer to:*Empty, hypocritical talk See [http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/cant wiktionary article] *Cant (language), a secret language **Thieves cant **Shelta language or the Cant, a language used by the Irish Travellers *Cant… …   Wikipedia

  • cant — CANT, canturi, s.n. 1. Muchie, latură a unor obiecte. 2. Parte a copertei de carton care depăşeşte dimensiunile filelor unei cărţi legate, ale unui caiet sau ale unui registru. 3. Margine, muchie a suprafeţei de alunecare a schiurilor. – Din germ …   Dicționar Român

  • Cant — Cant, n. [OF., edge, angle, prof. from L. canthus the iron ring round a carriage wheel, a wheel, Gr. ? the corner of the eye, the felly of a wheel; cf. W. cant the stake or tire of a wheel. Cf. {Canthus}, {Canton}, {Cantle}.] 1. A corner; angle;… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Cant — Cant, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Canted}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Canting}.] 1. To incline; to set at an angle; to tilt over; to tip upon the edge; as, to cant a cask; to cant a ship. [1913 Webster] 2. To give a sudden turn or new direction to; as, to cant… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • cânt — CÂNT, cânturi, s.n. 1. Cântare, cântec; ciripit de păsări. 2. Poezie (însoţită uneori de melodie). 3. Parte, diviziune a unui poem epic. – Din cânta (derivat regresiv). Trimis de valeriu, 03.03.2003. Sursa: DEX 98  CÂNT s. 1. cântare, cântat,… …   Dicționar Român

  • cant — cant1 [kant] n. [< L cantus: see CHANT] 1. whining, singsong speech, esp. as used by beggars 2. the secret slang of beggars, thieves, etc.; argot 3. the special words and phrases used by those in a certain sect, occupation, etc.; jargon 4.… …   English World dictionary

  • Cant — Cant, n. [Prob. from OF. cant, F. chant, singing, in allusion to the singing or whining tine of voice used by beggars, fr. L. cantus. See {Chant}.] 1. An affected, singsong mode of speaking. [1913 Webster] 2. The idioms and peculiarities of… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Cant — Cant, a. Of the nature of cant; affected; vulgar. [1913 Webster] To introduce and multiply cant words in the most ruinous corruption in any language. Swift. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Cant — Cant, n. [Prob. from OF. cant, equiv. to L. quantum; cf. F. encan, fr. L. in quantum, i.e. for how much? ] A call for bidders at a public sale; an auction. To sell their leases by cant. Swift. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • cant — Ⅰ. cant [1] ► NOUN 1) hypocritical and sanctimonious talk. 2) derogatory language peculiar to a specified group. 3) (before another noun ) denoting a phrase or catchword temporarily current: a cant word. ► VERB dated ▪ talk hypocritically and… …   English terms dictionary

  • Cant — Cant, v. i. 1. To speak in a whining voice, or an affected, singsong tone. [1913 Webster] 2. To make whining pretensions to goodness; to talk with an affectation of religion, philanthropy, etc.; to practice hypocrisy; as, a canting fanatic. [1913 …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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