n. [ Prob. from OF. cant, equiv. to L. quantum; cf. F. encan, fr. L. in quantum, i.e. “for how much?” ] A call for bidders at a public sale; an auction. “To sell their leases by cant.” Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To speak in a whining voice, or an affected, singsong tone. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To make whining pretensions to goodness; to talk with an affectation of religion, philanthropy, etc.; to practice hypocrisy; as, a canting fanatic. [ 1913 Webster ]

The rankest rogue that ever canted. Beau. & Fl. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To use pretentious language, barbarous jargon, or technical terms; to talk with an affectation of learning. [ 1913 Webster ]

The doctor here,
When he discourseth of dissection,
Of vena cava and of vena porta,
The meseræum and the mesentericum,
What does he else but cant. B. Jonson [ 1913 Webster ]

That uncouth affected garb of speech, or canting language, if I may so call it. Bp. Sanderson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OF., edge, angle, prof. from L. canthus the iron ring round a carriage wheel, a wheel, Gr. &unr_; the corner of the eye, the felly of a wheel; cf. W. cant the stake or tire of a wheel. Cf. Canthus, Canton, Cantle. ] 1. A corner; angle; niche. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The first and principal person in the temple was Irene, or Peace; she was placed aloft in a cant. B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An outer or external angle. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. An inclination from a horizontal or vertical line; a slope or bevel; a titl. Totten. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A sudden thrust, push, kick, or other impulse, producing a bias or change of direction; also, the bias or turn so give; as, to give a ball a cant. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Coopering) A segment forming a side piece in the head of a cask. Knight. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. (Mech.) A segment of he rim of a wooden cogwheel. Knight. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. (Naut.) A piece of wood laid upon the deck of a vessel to support the bulkheads. [ 1913 Webster ]

Cant frames,
Cant timbers (Naut.), timber at the two ends of a ship, rising obliquely from the keel. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Canted; p. pr. & vb. n. Canting. ] 1. To incline; to set at an angle; to tilt over; to tip upon the edge; as, to cant a cask; to cant a ship. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To give a sudden turn or new direction to; as, to cant round a stick of timber; to cant a football. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To cut off an angle from, as from a square piece of timber, or from the head of a bolt. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. to sell by auction, or bid a price at a sale by auction. [ Archaic ] Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Prob. from OF. cant, F. chant, singing, in allusion to the singing or whining tine of voice used by beggars, fr. L. cantus. See Chant. ] 1. An affected, singsong mode of speaking. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The idioms and peculiarities of speech in any sect, class, or occupation. Goldsmith. [ 1913 Webster ]

The cant of any profession. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The use of religious phraseology without understanding or sincerity; empty, solemn speech, implying what is not felt; hypocrisy. [ 1913 Webster ]

They shall hear no cant from me. F. W. Robertson [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Vulgar jargon; slang; the secret language spoker by gipsies, thieves, tramps, or beggars. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of the nature of cant; affected; vulgar. [ 1913 Webster ]

To introduce and multiply cant words in the most ruinous corruption in any language. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Abbreviated from Cantabrigian. ] A Cantabrigian. [ Colloq. ] Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖a. [ It., cantare to sing. ] (Mus.) In a melodious, flowing style; in a singing style, as opposed to bravura, recitativo, or parlando. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖ n. (Mus.) A piece or passage, whether vocal or instrumental, peculiarly adapted to singing; -- sometimes called cantilena. [ 1913 Webster ]