Background for cant

cant

/kænt/

Illustration cant - Image 1

noun

An argot, the jargon of a particular class or subgroup.

Examples :

"He had the look of a prince, but the cant of a fishmonger."

language communication society

Illustration cant - Image 1

noun

A private or secret language used by a religious sect, gang, or other group.

Examples :

"The secret society used a special cant to communicate during their meetings. "

language group communication

Illustration cant - Image 1

noun

A language spoken by some Irish Travellers; Shelta.

Examples :

""My grandmother, who is an Irish Traveller, taught me a few words of Cant when I was a child." "

language culture

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noun

Empty, hypocritical talk.

Examples :

"People claim to care about the poor of Africa, but it is largely cant."

philosophy language communication moral character

Illustration cant - Image 1

noun

Whining speech, such as that used by beggars.

Examples :

"The beggar's cant, full of exaggerated hardship, failed to move the passersby. "

language communication style writing

Illustration cant - Image 1

noun

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.

Examples :

"The baker's family crest featured wheat sheaves, a perfect example of cant since their last name was Sheaf. "

heraldry language

Illustration cant - Image 1

noun

A call for bidders at a public fair; an auction.

Examples :

"The auctioneer began the cant with a display of antique furniture, inviting the crowd to start the bidding. "

business commerce economy

Illustration cant - Image 1

verb

To speak with the jargon of a class or subgroup.

Examples :

"The programmers often cant in a language I don't understand, filled with terms like "debugging" and "algorithms." "

language group communication

Illustration cant - Image 1

verb

To speak in set phrases.

Examples :

"The politician began to cant about family values and economic growth, reciting well-worn phrases he'd used for years. "

language communication style

Illustration cant - Image 1

verb

To preach in a singsong fashion, especially in a false or empty manner.

Examples :

"The politician would cant about helping the poor, but his actions always favored the wealthy. "

religion communication language attitude character

Illustration cant - Image 1

verb

Of a blazon, to make a pun that references the bearer of a coat of arms.

Examples :

"The herald decided to cant on the Miller family's arms by depicting three millstones, a clear reference to their surname and profession. "

heraldry art style language

Illustration cant - Image 1

verb

To sell by auction, or bid at an auction.

Examples :

"The antique shop owner will cant the collection of vintage dolls next Saturday. "

business commerce finance economy

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noun

Side, edge, corner, niche.

Examples :

"Under the cant of a hill."

part position area architecture

Illustration cant - Image 1

noun

Slope, the angle at which something is set.

Examples :

"The architect specified a slight cant to the roof to ensure proper drainage. "

position technical architecture building math physics

Illustration cant - Image 1

noun

A corner (of a building).

Examples :

"The child sat on the cant of the old brick building, enjoying the afternoon sun. "

architecture part building

Illustration cant - Image 1

noun

An outer or external angle.

Examples :

"The carpenter reinforced the roof's cant with extra wooden supports to prevent leaks. "

architecture part

Illustration cant - Image 1

noun

An inclination from a horizontal or vertical line; a slope or bevel; a tilt.

Examples :

"The crooked picture frame had a noticeable cant to the left. "

appearance position architecture technical

Illustration cant - Image 1

noun

A movement or throw that overturns something.

Examples :

"The sudden cant of the shelf caused all the books to tumble onto the floor. "

Illustration cant - Image 1

noun

A sudden thrust, push, kick, or other impulse, producing a bias or change of direction; also, the bias or turn so given.

Examples :

"to give a ball a cant"

action direction physics

Illustration cant - Image 1

noun

(coopering) A segment forming a side piece in the head of a cask.

Examples :

"The cooper carefully fitted each cant into the cask head, ensuring a tight seal to prevent leaks. "

technical part material

Illustration cant - Image 1

noun

A segment of the rim of a wooden cogwheel.

Examples :

"The clockmaker carefully filed the cant of the wooden cogwheel to ensure it meshed properly with the other gears. "

part machine technical

Illustration cant - Image 1

noun

A piece of wood laid upon the deck of a vessel to support the bulkheads.

Examples :

"The ship's carpenter carefully placed the cant across the deck to reinforce the bulkhead. "

nautical sailing technical structure building

Illustration cant - Image 1

verb

To set (something) at an angle.

Examples :

"to cant a cask; to cant a ship"

position action

Illustration cant - Image 1

verb

To give a sudden turn or new direction to.

Examples :

"to cant round a stick of timber; to cant a football"

direction action way

Illustration cant - Image 1

verb

To bevel an edge or corner.

Examples :

"The carpenter carefully canted the edge of the wooden board to create a smooth, sloping surface. "

technical architecture

Illustration cant - Image 1

verb

To overturn so that the contents are emptied.

Examples :

"The child was so angry that he decided to cant his juice box all over the table. "

action nautical

Illustration cant - Image 1

noun

A parcel, a division.

Examples :

"The farmer divided his land into three cants, each designated for a different crop. "

Illustration cant - Image 1

verb

To divide or parcel out.

Examples :

"The farmer will cant the land into smaller fields to grow different crops. "

property business economy

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adjective

Examples :

"The cant folk music filled the pub with energy, making everyone want to dance. "

character human