n. | 1. | A corner; angle; niche. |
| 2. | An outer or external angle. |
| 3. | An inclination from a horizontal or vertical line; a slope or bevel; a titl. |
| 4. | A sudden thrust, push, kick, or other impulse, producing a bias or change of direction; also, the bias or turn so give; as, to give a ball a cant. |
| 5. | (Coopering) A segment forming a side piece in the head of a cask. |
| 6. | (Mech.) A segment of he rim of a wooden cogwheel. |
| 7. | (Naut.) A piece of wood laid upon the deck of a vessel to support the bulkheads. |
v. t. | 1. | To incline; to set at an angle; to tilt over; to tip upon the edge; as, to cant a cask; to cant a ship. |
| 2. | To give a sudden turn or new direction to; as, to cant round a stick of timber; to cant a football. |
| 3. | To cut off an angle from, as from a square piece of timber, or from the head of a bolt. |
n. | 1. | An affected, singsong mode of speaking. |
| 2. | The idioms and peculiarities of speech in any sect, class, or occupation. |
| 3. | The use of religious phraseology without understanding or sincerity; empty, solemn speech, implying what is not felt; hypocrisy. |
| 4. | Vulgar jargon; slang; the secret language spoker by gipsies, thieves, tramps, or beggars. |
a. | 1. | Of the nature of cant; affected; vulgar. |
v. i. | 1. | To speak in a whining voice, or an affected, singsong tone. |
| 2. | To make whining pretensions to goodness; to talk with an affectation of religion, philanthropy, etc.; to practice hypocrisy; as, a canting fanatic. |
| 3. | To use pretentious language, barbarous jargon, or technical terms; to talk with an affectation of learning. |
n. | 1. | A call for bidders at a public sale; an auction. |
v. t. | 1. | to sell by auction, or bid a price at a sale by auction. |