Webster's English Dictionary

Enter the word to look up:

cant

Cross references:
  1. dialect               
 
1. cant \'kant\ aj [ME, prob. fr. (assumed) MLG kant] dial Eng  : LIVELY, 
   LUSTY 
2. cant n [ME, prob. fr. MD or ONF; MD, edge, corner fr. ONF, fr. L 
   canthus, can]tus iron tire, perh. of Celt origin; akin to W cant rim; akin 
   to Gk kanthos corner of the eye obs  1: CORNER, NICHE  2: an external angle 
   (as of a building)  3a: a sudden thrust producing a bias  3b: the bias so 
   caused  4: an oblique or slanting surface  5: an inclination from a given 
   line : SLOPE 
3. cant vt 1: to give a cant or oblique edge to : BEVEL  2: to set at an 
   angle : tip or tilt up or over  3: to turn or throw off or out by tilting 
   or rotating {~ a rifle> chiefly Brit  4: to give a sudden turn or new 
   direction to  1: to pitch to one side : LEAN  2: SLOPE 
4. cant aj 1: having canted corners or sides  2: slanting with respect to a 
   particular straight line 
5. cant vi [prob. fr. ONF canter to tell, lit., to sing, fr. L cantare - 
   mor]e at CHANT 1: BEG  2: to speak in cant or technical terms  3: to talk 
   hypocritically 
6. cant n often attrib  1: affected singsong speech  2a: ARGOT  obs  2b: 
   the phraseology peculiar to a religious class or sect  2c: JARGON  3: a set 
   or stock phrase  4: the expression or repetition of conventional, trite, or 
   unconsidered opi nions or sentiments; esp : the insincere use of pious 
   phraseology