noun
1.
insincere, especially 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, especially of beggars.
verb (used without object)
5.
to talk hypocritically.
6.
to speak in the whining or singsong tone of a beggar; beg.
00:10
Cant
is a GRE word you need to know.
So is feint. Does it mean:
| the legal claim of one person upon the property of another person to secure the payment of a debt or the satisfaction of an obligation. |
| a movement made in order to deceive an adversary; an attack aimed at one place or point merely as a distraction from the real place or point of attack: |
Dictionary.com Unabridged
noun
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.
adjective
9.
oblique or slanting.
verb (used with object)
10.
to bevel; form an oblique surface upon.
11.
to put in an oblique position; tilt; tip.
12.
to throw with a sudden jerk.
verb (used without object)
13.
to take or have an inclined position; tilt; turn.
Origin:
1325–75; Middle English: side, border < Anglo-French cant, Old French chant < a Romance base *cantu(m) with the related senses “rim, border” and “angle corner,” probably < Celtic; compare Latin cant(h)us iron tire (< Celtic), Welsh cant periphery, rim, felloe; probably not akin to Greek kanthós corner of the eye; cf. canteen, cantle, canton
1325–75; Middle English: side, border < Anglo-French cant, Old French chant < a Romance base *cantu(m) with the related senses “rim, border” and “angle corner,” probably < Celtic; compare Latin cant(h)us iron tire (< Celtic), Welsh cant periphery, rim, felloe; probably not akin to Greek kanthós corner of the eye; cf. canteen, cantle, canton
Related forms
cant·ic, adjective
contraction of cannot.
Cant.
1.
2.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
|
Link To cant
Collins
World English Dictionary
cant1 (kænt) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | insincere talk, esp concerning religion or morals; pious platitudes |
| 2. | stock phrases that have become meaningless through repetition |
| 3. | specialized vocabulary of a particular group, such as thieves, journalists, or lawyers; jargon |
| 4. | singsong whining speech, as used by beggars |
| —vb | |
| 5. | (intr) to speak in or use cant |
| [C16: probably via Norman French canter to sing, from Latin cantāre; used disparagingly, from the 12th century, of chanting in religious services] | |
| 'canter1 | |
| —n | |
| 'cantingly1 | |
| —adv | |
| cant2 (kænt) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | inclination from a vertical or horizontal plane; slope; slant |
| 2. | a sudden movement that tilts or turns something |
| 3. | the angle or tilt thus caused |
| 4. | a corner or outer angle, esp of a building |
| 5. | an oblique or slanting surface, edge, or line |
| —vb | |
| 6. | to tip, tilt, or overturn, esp with a sudden jerk |
| 7. | to set in an oblique position |
| 8. | another word for bevel |
| —adj | |
| 9. | oblique; slanting |
| 10. | having flat surfaces and without curves |
| [C14 (in the sense: edge, corner): perhaps from Latin canthus iron hoop round a wheel, of obscure origin] | |
| 'cantic2 | |
| —adj | |
| cant3 (kɑːnt) | |
| —adj | |
| dialect (Scot), (Northern English) lusty; merry; hearty | |
| [C14: related to Low German kant bold, merry] | |
| Cant. | |
| —abbreviation for | |
| 1. | Canterbury |
| 2. | Bible Canticles |
| can't (kɑːnt) | |
| —contraction of | |
| cannot | |
| can't (kɑːnt) | |
| —contraction of | |
| cannot | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Dictionary.com's 21st Century Lexicon
| Main Entry: | cant1 |
| Part of Speech: | n |
| Definition: | the characteristic or secret language of a particular group |
| Etymology: | Latin cantus 'song, chant' |
| Main Entry: | cant1 |
| Part of Speech: | v |
| Definition: | to bevel off; to put into an oblique position |
| Etymology: | Dutch, German kanten |
| Usage: | transitive |
| Main Entry: | cant2 |
| Part of Speech: | n |
| Definition: | phrases that have been endlessly repeated and have lost impact and meaning; a type of phraseology, such as affected and insincere religious speech |
| Etymology: | Latin cantus 'song, chant' |
| Main Entry: | cant2 |
| Part of Speech: | v |
| Definition: | to tilt, incline, or turn upside-down |
| Etymology: | Dutch, German kanten |
| Usage: | transitive |
| Main Entry: | cant3 |
| Part of Speech: | n |
| Definition: | whiny speech |
| Etymology: | Latin cantus 'song, chant' |
| Main Entry: | cant3 |
| Part of Speech: | v |
| Definition: | to speak in a jargon or secret language; to use a phraseology particular to a group |
| Etymology: | Latin cantus 'song, chant' |
| Usage: | transitive |
| Main Entry: | cant4 |
| Part of Speech: | n |
| Definition: | vulgar slang |
| Etymology: | Latin cantus 'song, chant' |
| Main Entry: | cant4 |
| Part of Speech: | v |
| Definition: | to speak whiningly or affectedly |
| Etymology: | Latin cantus 'song, chant' |
| Usage: | transitive |
| Main Entry: | cant5 |
| Part of Speech: | n |
| Definition: | a slope in the turn of a road or track where the outside is higher; tilt |
| Etymology: | Celtic |
| Main Entry: | cant5 |
| Part of Speech: | v |
| Definition: | to dispose of by auction |
| Etymology: | Latin accantare 'to put up to auction' |
| Usage: | transitive |
| Main Entry: | cant6 |
| Part of Speech: | n |
| Definition: | a slanting or oblique line, edge, or surface |
| Etymology: | Celtic |
| Main Entry: | cant7 |
| Part of Speech: | n |
| Definition: | an auction |
| Etymology: | Latin accantare 'to put up to auction' |
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
cant
"insincere talk," 1709, earlier, slang for "whining of beggars," (1560s), from O.N.Fr. canter "to sing, chant" from L. cantare, freq. of canere "to sing" (see chant). Sense in English developed after 1680 to mean the jargon of criminals and vagabonds, then applied contemptuously
by any sect or school to the phraseology of its rival.
cant
"slant," late 14c., Scottish, from O.N.Fr. cant (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 Celt. word meaning "rim of wheel, edge," from PIE base *kantho- "corner, bend" (cf. Gk. kanthos "corner of the eye").
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Cite This Source
American Heritage
Abbreviations & Acronyms
Cant.
|
The American Heritage® Abbreviations Dictionary, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Example sentences
We cant even correctly understand many of the theories discovered by science by way of math.
We try to hold on to some moral thread and cant help being full of pride.
It seems to me when workers dont have jobs, the economy cant function as those workers can not spend money.
We have students walking around saying they have a college degree and still cant spell college.
Related Searches
Nearby Words
Copyright © 2013 Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
