- cant
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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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Universalium. 2010.
