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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

Uncle Marion sho cain give yo a helpin good luck hand.

From Slave Narratives: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States from Interviews with Former Slaves, Arkansas Narratives, Part 4 by Work Projects Administration

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

"I were goin' to warn 'em an' holp 'em ef I cain."

From A Man for the Ages A Story of the Builders of Democracy by John Wolcott Adams

Th' railroad hands got paid, to-day, an' they're raisin' cain.

From Injun and Whitey to the Rescue by William S. Hart

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

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

It would’ve been easier to create fresh builds or buy new decor and furnishings, Cain admits, but then it wouldn’t feel like the right setting to him.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

“You can imagine stepping off the train in 1880s Monrovia and going and staying in this exact inn in the prettiest little town in the Old West,” Cain said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 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

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

Unfortunately, Cain didn’t bother to hide his triumphant grin.

From "Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas