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• cain
  cain

  noun

  rent paid in kind, especially a percentage of a farm crop.
• Cain
  Cain

  noun

  (in the Bible) the first son of Adam and Eve, who murdered his brother Abel.

cain

¹ American  

[keyn] / keɪn /

Scot., kane

noun

Scot. and Irish English.

1. rent paid in kind, especially a percentage of a farm crop.

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Cain ² American  

[keyn] / keɪn /

noun

1. (in the Bible) the first son of Adam and Eve, who murdered his brother Abel.

2. a murderer.

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idioms

1. raise Cain,

   1. become angry or violent.

      He'll raise Cain when he finds out I lost his watch.

   2. to behave in a boisterous manner; cause a disturbance.

      The students raised Cain while the teacher was out.

Cain ³ American  

[keyn] / keɪn /

noun

1. James M., 1892–1977, U.S. novelist.

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Cain ¹ British  

/ keɪn /

noun

1. the first son of Adam and Eve, who killed his brother Abel (Genesis 4:1–16)

2. 1. to cause a commotion

   2. to react or protest heatedly

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cain ² British  

/ keɪn /

noun

1. history (in Scotland and Ireland) payment in kind, usually farm produce paid as rent

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Cain More Idioms  

1. see raise Cain.

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Other Word Forms

• Cainism
  noun
• Cainitic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of cain

Middle English ( Scots ) cane, from Scots Gaelic; compare Old Irish cáin “statute, law, rent”

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cain Cain

Yo' see I ham 't been used t' hit down whar I lived an' I cain 't feel comfortable with a lot of machinery so close to me.

From The Boy Scout Fire Fighters by Irving Crump

The modern woman has learned that it is a club that raises cain.

From Model Speeches for Practise by Grenville Kleiser

It had been there two weeks, and he didn't know what in cain to do with it.

From Tempest and Sunshine by Mary Jane Holmes

The modern woman has learned it is a club that raises cain.

From Modern Eloquence: Vol III, After-Dinner Speeches P-Z by Various

An I goes down to de Court House, and when I see dem cannons in deyard I cain keep from cryin'.

From Slave Narratives: a Folk History of Slavery in the United States From Interviews with Former Slaves Tennessee Narratives by Work Projects Administration

Serena Cain, 50, travelled from Norfolk to hike up the mountain with her partner for his 56th birthday.

From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026

But Cain, an interior decorator for 25 years, wasn’t daunted by the chaos that came with such an extensive project.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

Over the next year, Cain, Reyes and Baker grew closer as fellow members of the Monrovia Historic Preservation Group, bonding over their desire to preserve the town’s historic character, especially its Victorian homes.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

Burwell said he’s flattered by recent online praise from the likes of Ethel Cain, Flying Lotus and Kid Cudi for his score.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026

“Why is the first story in the Bible about Adam and Eve and the second story about Cain and Abel?”

From "The Season of Styx Malone" by Kekla Magoon