cant Meaning & Definition
What Does Cant Mean?
As a noun, cant means An argot, the jargon of a particular class or subgroup. It is also used to mean A private or secret language used by a religious sect, gang, or other group. As a verb, it means To speak with the jargon of a class or subgroup. As a verb, it means To set (something) at an angle; to tilt.
Word Facts for Cant
| Part of speech | noun, verb, adjective |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /kænt/ |
| Synonyms | vernacular, pitch and tilt |
| Plural | cants |
| Verb forms | cants, canting, canted |
Cant Definition (Noun)
- An argot, the jargon of a particular class or subgroup.
He had the look of a prince, but the cant of a fishmonger.
- A private or secret language used by a religious sect, gang, or other group.
- A language spoken by some Irish Travellers; Shelta.
- Empty, hypocritical talk.
- Whining speech, such as that used by beggars.
- A blazon of a coat of arms that makes a pun upon the name (or, less often, some attribute or function) of the bearer, canting arms.
- A call for bidders at a public fair; an auction.
Cant as a Verb
- To speak with the jargon of a class or subgroup.
- To speak in set phrases.
- To talk, beg, or preach in a singsong or whining fashion, especially in a false or empty manner.
- Of a blazon, to make a pun that references the bearer of a coat of arms.
- To sell by auction, or bid at an auction.
Noun
- Side, edge, corner, niche.
under the cant of a hill
- Slope, the angle at which something is set.
- A corner (of a building).
- An outer or external angle.
- An inclination from a horizontal or vertical line; a slope or bevel; a tilt.
- A movement or throw that overturns something.
- A sudden thrust, push, kick, or other impulse, producing a bias or change of direction; also, the bias or turn so given.
to give a ball a cant
- A segment forming a side piece in the head of a cask.
- A segment of the rim of a wooden cogwheel.
- A piece of wood laid upon the deck of a vessel to support the bulkheads.
- An unfinished log after preliminary cutting.
Verb
- To set (something) at an angle; to tilt.
to cant a cask
- To give a sudden turn or new direction to.
to cant round a stick of timber
- To bevel an edge or corner.
- To overturn so that the contents are emptied.
Verb
- To divide or parcel out.
Noun
- A parcel, a division.
Cant as an Adjective
- Lively, lusty.
Verb
- To preach in a singsong fashion, especially in a false or empty manner.
Noun
- (coopering) A segment forming a side piece in the head of a cask.
Verb
- To set (something) at an angle.
to cant a cask; to cant a ship
Synonyms of Cant
Cant in a Sentence
He had the look of a prince, but the cant of a fishmonger.
under the cant of a hill
to give a ball a cant
to cant a cask
to cant a ship
to cant round a stick of timber
to cant a football
People claim to care about the poor of Africa, but it is largely cant.
Under the cant of a hill.
to cant a cask; to cant a ship
to cant round a stick of timber; to cant a football
Word Forms & Grammar
cant (usually uncountable, plural cants)
cant (third-person singular simple present cants, present participle canting, simple past and past participle canted)
cant (plural cants)
cant (not comparable)
Words That Rhyme With Cant
Origin of Cant
Origin 1: From Latin cantō, probably via Old Northern French canter (“sing, tell”).[1][2] Doublet of chant.
Origin 2: From Middle English cant (“edge, brink”), from Middle Dutch cant (“point, side, edge”) (Modern Dutch kant (“side, edge”)), ultimately of Celtic or Latin origin. Related to Medieval Latin cantus (“corner, side”), from Latin canthus.
Origin 3: Unknown, but compare Provençal cantel (“corner, piece”) or Old Northern French cantel (“piece broken off”).[6] The verb is attested from the 15th century,[7] and the noun from the 16th.[6] See cantle, from which cant is possibly back-formed as if it contained the suffix -le.
Origin 4: From Middle English cant, kaunt, presumably from Middle Low German *kant, perhaps a slang word related to kant (“edge, rim”), from Medieval Latin canthus. Attested from the 13th or 14th century.[8]
Quick Answers About Cant
Is cant a noun or a verb?
Cant is mainly used as a noun, but it can also be used as a verb and an adjective.
What is another word for cant?
Words with a similar meaning to cant include vernacular, pitch and tilt. See the full list of cant synonyms and antonyms.
What is the plural of cant?
The plural of cant is cants.
What is the past tense of cant?
The past tense of cant is canted. The present participle is canting.