1. To speak in a whining voice, or an affected, sinsong tone.
2. To make whining pretensions to goodness; to talk with an affectation of religion, philanthropy, etc.; to practice hypocrisy; as, a canting fanatic. The rankest rogue that ever canted. Beau. & Fl.
3. To use pretentious language, barbarous jargon, or technical termes; to talk with an affectation of learning. The doctor here, When he discqurseth of dissection, Of vena cava and of vena porta, The meseræum and the mesentericum, What does he else but cant. B. Jonson That uncouth affected garb of speech, or canting hanguage, if I may so call it. Bp. Sanderson.
CANT Cant, n. Etym: [Prob. from OF. cant, equiv. to L. quantum; cf. F. encan, fr. L. in quantum, i.e. "for how much">[
Defn: A all for bidders at a public sale; an auction. "To sell their leases by cant." Swift.
CANT
Cant, v. t.
Defn: to sell by auction, or bid a price at a sale by auction.
[Archaic] Swift.
CAN'T
Can't.
Defn: A colloquial contraction for can not.
CANTAB
Can"tab, n. Etym: [Abbreviated from Cantabrigian.]