cant

cant
cant1
cantingly, adv.
/kant/, n.
1. insincere, esp. conventional expressions of enthusiasm for high ideals, goodness, or piety.
2. the private language of the underworld.
3. the phraseology peculiar to a particular class, party, profession, etc.: the cant of the fashion industry.
4. whining or singsong speech, esp. of beggars.
v.i.
5. to talk hypocritically.
6. to speak in the whining or singsong tone of a beggar; beg.
[1495-1505; < L base cant- in cantus song, canticus singsong, etc., whence OE cantere singer, cantic song; see CHANT]
Syn. 1. hypocrisy, sham, pretense, humbug.
cant2
cantic, adj.
/kant/, n.
1. a salient angle.
2. a sudden movement that tilts or overturns a thing.
3. a slanting or tilted position.
4. an oblique line or surface, as one formed by cutting off the corner of a square of cube.
5. an oblique or slanting face of anything.
6. Civ. Engin. bank1 (def. 6).
7. a sudden pitch or toss.
8. Also called flitch. a partly trimmed log.
adj.
9. oblique or slanting.
v.t.
10. to bevel; form an oblique surface upon.
11. to put in an oblique position; tilt; tip.
12. to throw with a sudden jerk.
v.i.
13. to take or have an inclined position; tilt; turn.
[1325-75; ME: side, border < AF cant, OF chant < a Rom base *cantu(m) with the related senses "rim, border" and "angle corner," prob. < Celtic; cf. L cant(h)us iron tire ( < Celtic), Welsh cant periphery, rim, felloe; prob. not akin to Gk kanthós corner of the eye; cf. CANTEEN, CANTLE, CANTON]
cant3
/kahnt/, adj. Scot. and North Eng.
hearty; merry.
[1250-1300; ME < LG kant merry, bold]

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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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