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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  

[kayn] / 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  

[kayn] / 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  

[kayn] / 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

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Etymology

Origin of cain

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

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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

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

Saergus the Young, also-- *     *     *     *     * Violated the cain he had adopted, For the vehement Dungalach.

From The Most Ancient Lives of Saint Patrick Including the Life by Jocelin, Hitherto Unpublished in America, and His Extant Writings by James O'Leary

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

Cain, Kain, kān, n. in old Scots law, rent paid in kind, esp. in poultry, &c.—To pay the cain, to pay the penalty.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 1 of 4: A-D) by Various

Cain asked in an interview about their single “Wynter Waxeth,” which also serves as a theme in the film.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 13, 2026

“It feels a little full circle to be coming back around and creating this very fantastical, superstitious, religious fervor,” Cain said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 13, 2026

Ethel Cain and Robin Carolan pondered that as they composed the mournful and guttural score for Robert Eggers’ forthcoming film “Werwulf.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 13, 2026

The body of 45-year-old Hannah Cain, known to her patients as Dr Hannah Terry, was found at a property in Fern Hill, Dersingham, Norfolk, on Sunday.

From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026

“You should mind who you accuse. While Cain is a brute, he’s Duke Perrington’s Champion.”

From "Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas

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