cant

¹ American  

[kant] / kænt /

noun

1. insincere, especially conventional expressions of enthusiasm for high ideals, goodness, or piety.

   Synonyms:

   humbug, pretense, sham, hypocrisy

2. the private language of the underworld.

3. the phraseology peculiar to a particular class, party, profession, etc..

   the cant of the fashion industry.

4. whining or singsong speech, especially of beggars.

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verb (used without object)

1. to talk hypocritically.

2. to speak in the whining or singsong tone of a beggar; beg.

cant ² American  

[kant] / kænt /

noun

1. a salient angle.

2. a sudden movement that tilts or overturns a thing.

3. a slanting or tilted position.

4. an oblique line or surface, as one formed by cutting off the corner of a square of cube.

5. an oblique or slanting face of anything.

6. Civil Engineering. bank.

7. a sudden pitch or toss.

8. Also called flitch.  a partly trimmed log.

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adjective

1. oblique or slanting.

verb (used with object)

1. to bevel; form an oblique surface upon.

2. to put in an oblique position; tilt; tip.

3. to throw with a sudden jerk.

verb (used without object)

1. to take or have an inclined position; tilt; tip.

cant ³ American  

[kahnt] / kɑnt /

adjective

Scot. and North England.

1. hearty; merry.

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can't ⁴ American  

[kant, kahnt] / kænt, kɑnt /

1. contraction of cannot.

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Cant. ⁵ American  

abbreviation

1. Canterbury.

2. Cantonese.

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cant ¹ British  

/ kænt /

noun

1. inclination from a vertical or horizontal plane; slope; slant

2. a sudden movement that tilts or turns something

3. the angle or tilt thus caused

4. a corner or outer angle, esp of a building

5. an oblique or slanting surface, edge, or line

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verb

1. to tip, tilt, or overturn, esp with a sudden jerk

2. to set in an oblique position

3. another word for bevel

adjective

1. oblique; slanting

2. having flat surfaces and without curves

cant ² British  

/ kænt /

noun

1. insincere talk, esp concerning religion or morals; pious platitudes

2. stock phrases that have become meaningless through repetition

3. specialized vocabulary of a particular group, such as thieves, journalists, or lawyers; jargon

4. singsong whining speech, as used by beggars

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verb

1. (intr) to speak in or use cant

Cant. ³ British  

abbreviation

1. Canterbury

2. Bible Canticles

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cant ⁴ British  

/ kɑːnt /

adjective

1. dialect lusty; merry; hearty

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can't ⁵ British  

/ kɑːnt /

contraction

1. cannot

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can't Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing can't

• beggars can't be choosers
• can
• if you can't beat them, join them
• you can't take it with you
• you can't win them all

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Spelling

See cannot.

Usage

See contraction.

Other Word Forms

• canter noun
• cantic adjective
• cantingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of cant¹

First recorded in 1495–1505; from Latin base cant- in cantus “song,” canticus “singsong,” etc., whence Old English cantere “singer,” cantic “song”; chant

Origin of cant²

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English: “side, part, border,” from Anglo-French cant, Old French chant, from an unrecorded Romance cantu(m) with the related senses “rim, border” and “angle corner,” probably from Celtic; compare Latin cant(h)us “tire, iron tire” (from Celtic kantos ), Welsh cant “periphery, rim, felloe” canteen, cantle, canton

Origin of cant³

First recorded in 1325–1375; Middle English cant, kant, kaunt “bold, brave, fierce,” from Low German kant “merry, bold”

Compare meaning

How does cant compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• can't vs. cannot

Example Sentences

Davidson referenced a New York Times article about trouble with their business venture, but said, “I cant spend $5 on a paywall when I have a kid on the way.”

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 9, 2025

“Even when your coaches tell you can take a nap — ‘Close your eyes; we’ll be on top of things’ — for me, it’s like, ‘No, I cant fully switch off.’

From Seattle Times • May 31, 2024

“You cant understand it. You would have to be born there,” says the tortured Quentin in William Faulkner’s “Absalom, Absalom!”

From New York Times • Nov. 30, 2023

"I'd smile to myself thinking, I cant wait to marry that girl," he told the court.

From BBC • Nov. 17, 2023

“You’re right. They’re fine folks. But you cant live with them.”

From "The Sound and the Fury" by William Faulkner