Canting

cant ¹  (knt)

n.

1. Angular deviation from a vertical or horizontal plane or surface; an inclination or slope.

2. A slanted or oblique surface.

3.

a. A thrust or motion that tilts something.

b. The tilt caused by such a thrust or motion.

4. An outer corner, as of a building.

v. cant·ed, cant·ing, cants

v.tr.

1. To set at an oblique angle; tilt.

2. To give a slanting edge to; bevel.

3. To change the direction of suddenly.

v.intr.

1. To lean to one side; slant.

2. To take an oblique direction or course; swing around, as a ship.

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[Middle English, side, from Old North French, from Vulgar Latin *cantus, corner, from Latin canthus, rim of wheel, tire, of Celtic origin.]

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cant ²  (knt)

n.

1. Monotonous talk filled with platitudes.

2. Hypocritically pious language.

3. The special vocabulary peculiar to the members of an underworld group; argot.

4. Cant See Shelta.

5. Whining speech, such as that used by beggars.

6. The special terminology understood among the members of a profession, discipline, or class but obscure to the general population; jargon. See Synonyms at dialect.

intr.v. cant·ed, cant·ing, cants

1. To speak tediously or sententiously; moralize.

2. To speak in argot or jargon.

3. To speak in a whining, pleading tone.

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[Anglo-Norman cant, song, singing, from canter, to sing, from Latin cantre; see kan- in Indo-European roots.]

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canting·ly adv.

canting·ness n.