cane

[ keyn ]

/ keɪn /

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See synonyms for: cane / caned / caning on Thesaurus.com

noun

a stick or short staff used to assist one in walking; walking stick.

a long, hollow or pithy, jointed woody stem, as that of bamboo, rattan, sugarcane, and certain palms.

a plant having such a stem.

split rattan woven or interlaced for chair seats, wickerwork, etc.

any of several tall bamboolike grasses, especially of the genus Arundinaria, as A. gigantea(cane reed, large cane, giant cane, or southern cane ) and A. tecta(small cane, or switch cane ), of the southern United States.

the stem of a raspberry or blackberry.

sugarcane.

a rod used for flogging.

a slender cylinder or rod, as of sealing wax or glass.

verb (used with object), caned, can·ing.

to flog with a cane.

to furnish or make with cane: to cane chairs.

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Origin of cane

First recorded in1350–1400; Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin canna, from Greek kánna, from Semitic; compare Akkadian qanū, Hebrew qāneh “reed”

OTHER WORDS FROM cane

canelike, adjectivecany, adjectivere·cane, verb (used with object), re·caned, re·can·ing.un·caned, adjective

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

How to use cane in a sentence

The team was tracking how invasive, poisonous cane toads were adversely impacting the reptiles.
Monitor lizards’ huge burrow systems can shelter hundreds of small animals|Jake Buehler|January 19, 2021|Science News
Some of them are walking with canes or in wheelchairs or scooters.
Inside the Capitol Riot: What the Parler Videos Reveal|by Alec MacGillis|January 17, 2021|ProPublica
It was Miss Chrishy’s love of discussing business and politics — as well as his experience spending summers on his maternal grandparents’ sugar cane farm — that shaped a curiosity about labor economics that became his life passion.
The Jamaican connection|Robert Samuels|January 13, 2021|Washington Post
It came from watching Miss Chrishy discuss the meaning of work at the family store and hearing workers in sugar cane fields discuss wages.
The Jamaican connection|Robert Samuels|January 13, 2021|Washington Post

Not far from Jaysinge, 14-year-old Manohar Padwi was loading chopped sugar cane into the same truck.
Schools in India have been closed since March. The costs to children are mounting.|Parth M.N., Joanna Slater, Niha Masih|December 30, 2020|Washington Post
Numeron key, silver blithefor cany, os cany goblet: us key ne moy blegefoy oteeston pox, on you gosling!
The Works of John Marston|John Marston
"Your fighter squadron will cross over the French coast here, at Cany," he began.
Dave Dawson with the Commandos|R. Sidney Bowen
He embraced his nephew, called Luquin and Larame to cany him, and went out with Reine.
The Knight of Malta|Eugene Sue
But out of respect for the royal blood, the Dauphin has credited a townsman with that which happened to the Lady of Cany.
Droll Stories, Complete|Honore de Balzac
Vantano, knowing how hazardous it would be for him to cany off his prey, determined to destroy it!
Rule of the Monk|Giuseppe Garibaldi

British Dictionary definitions for cane (1 of 2)

cane¹

/ (keɪn) /

noun

the long jointed pithy or hollow flexible stem of the bamboo, rattan, or any similar plant
any plant having such a stem

strips of such stems, woven or interlaced to make wickerwork, the seats and backs of chairs, etc
(as modifier)a cane chair

the woody stem of a reed, young grapevine, blackberry, raspberry, or loganberry

any of several grasses with long stiff stems, esp Arundinaria gigantea of the southeastern US

a flexible rod with which to administer a beating as a punishment, as to schoolboys

a slender rod, usually wooden and often ornamental, used for support when walking; walking stick

See sugar cane

a slender rod or cylinder, as of glass

verb (tr)

to whip or beat with or as if with a cane

to make or repair with cane

informal to defeatwe got well caned in the match

cane it slang to do something with great power, force, or speed or consume something such as alcohol in large quantitiesyou can do it in ten minutes if you really cane it

Derived forms of cane

caner, noun

Word Origin for cane

C14: from Old French, from Latin canna, from Greek kanna, of Semitic origin; related to Arabic qanāh reed

British Dictionary definitions for cane (2 of 2)

cane²

/ (keɪn) /

noun

dialect a female weasel

Word Origin for cane

C18: of unknown origin

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

cane

Origin of cane

OTHER WORDS FROM cane

Words related to cane

How to use cane in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for cane (1 of 2)

Derived forms of cane

Word Origin for cane

British Dictionary definitions for cane (2 of 2)

Word Origin for cane