cain

[ keyn ]

/ keɪn /

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noun Scot. and Irish English.

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

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Also Scot., kane .

Origin of cain

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

Words nearby cain

Caicos Islands, caid, cailleach, caiman, caiman lizard, cain, Cain and Abel, Caine, Caingang, Cainite, caino-

Other definitions for cain (2 of 3)

Cain¹

[ keyn ]

/ keɪn /

noun

the first son of Adam and Eve, who murdered his brother Abel. Genesis 4.

a murderer.

OTHER WORDS FROM Cain

Cainism, nounCain·it·ic

[key-nit-ik], /keɪˈnɪt ɪk/, adjective

Other definitions for cain (3 of 3)

Cain²

[ keyn ]

/ keɪn /

noun

James M., 1892–1977, U.S. novelist.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use cain in a sentence

It remained unclear throughout Thursday if Cummings would follow Cain out the door.
Boris Johnson’s top aide was a key architect of Brexit. But as the split looms, he’s quitting government|kdunn6|November 13, 2020|Fortune
Eventually, we dismissed the crew, and Cain took me to an ATM and advised me, “Never take out more money than you are willing to lose.”
To Live & Die Herman Cain|Eugene Robinson|October 1, 2020|Ozy
Cain then excused himself to the men, grabbed his coat and walked me out.
To Live & Die Herman Cain|Eugene Robinson|October 1, 2020|Ozy
Cain played a few hands and introduced me to about 50 people, all of whom he seemed to have intimate knowledge of.
To Live & Die Herman Cain|Eugene Robinson|October 1, 2020|Ozy

After a while, we returned to the front desk, where we picked up the crew and headed to Cain’s room.
To Live & Die Herman Cain|Eugene Robinson|October 1, 2020|Ozy
As Claire Cain Miller of The New York Times points out, “workplaces could be seen as paying women to put off childbearing.”
Don’t Be Fooled by Apple and Facebook, Egg Freezing Is Not a Benefit|Samantha Allen|October 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He brought me a box of James M. Cain and Raymond Chandler paperbacks, and I said, “Which one should I start with?”
Frances McDormand on 'Olive Kitteridge,' Dropping LSD, and Her Beef With FX's 'Fargo'|Marlow Stern|September 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Mundt had settled for Santorum after her first choice, Herman Cain, dropped out of the race.
Rick Santorum Is Kinda Coming Back for 2016|Ben Jacobs|August 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Herman Cain walked out on stage wearing a gold, slightly metallic tie.
Sympathy for the Devils: Scenes From the Social Conservative Collapse|Olivia Nuzzi|June 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Herman Cain is just awaiting a sign like the one handed down to him in 2011.
Judging by the GOP, God Can’t Pick a Campaign Winner|Brandy Zadrozny|June 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In one of them, descriptive of antediluvial history, is a painting of Lamech shooting Cain with a bow and arrow.
Notes and Queries, Number 178, March 26, 1853|Various
At the touch, brutus trembled with hate; at the order, his countenance fell like Cain's.
It Is Never Too Late to Mend|Charles Reade
That was what Chrysophrasia meant with her disgusting personalities about Cain and Abel.
Paul Patoff|F. Marion Crawford
Again, if discussion was fruitful of results with Abel, must it be the same with Cain?
My Recollections of Lord Byron|Teresa Guiccioli
When the light held out until late, they had time to visit old Paris with the books of Georges Cain for guides.
Paris Vistas|Helen Davenport Gibbons

British Dictionary definitions for cain (1 of 2)

cain

kain

/ (keɪn) /

noun

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

Word Origin for cain

C12: from Scottish Gaelic cāin rent, perhaps ultimately from Late Latin canōn tribute (see canon); compare Middle Irish cāin law

British Dictionary definitions for cain (2 of 2)

Cain

/ (keɪn) /

noun

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

raise Cain

to cause a commotion
to react or protest heatedly

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with cain

Cain

see raise Cain.