cant
Pronunciation: (kant), [key]
— n.
- insincere, esp. conventional expressions of enthusiasm for high ideals, goodness, or piety.
- the private language of the underworld.
- the phraseology peculiar to a particular class, party, profession, etc.: the cant of the fashion industry.
- whining or singsong speech, esp. of beggars.
—v.i.
- to talk hypocritically.
- to speak in the whining or singsong tone of a beggar; beg.
cant
Pronunciation: (kant), [key]
— n.
- a salient angle.
- a sudden movement that tilts or overturns a thing.
- a slanting or tilted position.
- an oblique line or surface, as one formed by cutting off the corner of a square of cube.
- an oblique or slanting face of anything.
- bank (def. 6).
- a sudden pitch or toss.
- a partly trimmed log.
—adj.
- oblique or slanting.
—v.t.
- to bevel; form an oblique surface upon.
- to put in an oblique position; tilt; tip.
- to throw with a sudden jerk.
—v.i.
- to take or have an inclined position; tilt; turn.
cant
Pronunciation: (känt), [key]
— adj. Scot. and North Eng.
- hearty; merry.
can't
Pronunciation: (kant, känt), [key]
- contraction of cannot.
Cant.
- Canterbury.
- Cantonese.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.