cant

/kænt/

Academic

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The word "cant" can have several meanings, so let's break them down clearly for you.

Basic Definition:

Noun (Geometric): "Cant" refers to two surfaces that meet at an angle that is not 90 degrees. For example, if you have a ramp, the sides of the ramp are in a cant.
Noun (Insincere Talk): It can mean insincere or meaningless talk, especially about religion or morals. For example, when someone uses fancy words to sound good but doesn’t really believe what they are saying, it may be called cant.
Noun (Language of a Group): "Cant" can describe the special language or slang used by a particular group, like thieves or other specific communities. For instance, "They don't speak our lingo" means they use different words we don’t understand.
Noun (Slope): It can refer to a slope in a road or track where one side is higher than the other. This helps cars turn more safely by balancing the force when they go around a curve.

Verb:

Cant (verb): To tilt or slant something. For example, "The tower is canting" means the tower is leaning or tilting to one side.

Usage Instructions:

You can use "cant" in different contexts, depending on which meaning you want to convey. If you are talking about a building, you might refer to its angles. If you are discussing a conversation about morals, you might refer to it as cant if it sounds insincere.

Examples:

Geometric: "The roof has a cant that allows rain to slide off easily."
Insincere Talk: "His speech was full of cant; it sounded nice but lacked real meaning."
Language of a Group: "The thieves used cant to communicate without being understood by others."
Slope: "The road has a cant to help cars make the turn safely."
Verb: "The picture was canting to the right, making it look funny."

Advanced Usage:

In architecture, "cant" can refer to the design of roofs or walls that are intentionally tilted for aesthetic or practical reasons.
In literary analysis, when discussing someone's writing, you might describe it as having a "cant" if it relies too much on clichés or repetitive phrases.

Word Variants:

Canted (adjective): Describing something that is tilted or slanted.
Canton (noun): A different word that is related but refers to a district or region.

Different Meanings:

In some specific contexts, "cant" can also refer to jargon or technical language that might be difficult for outsiders to understand.

Synonyms:

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

There are no widely recognized idioms or phrasal verbs that include "cant," but you might encounter phrases like "canting phrase" to describe insincere expressions.

Summary:

In summary, "cant" is a versatile word with meanings in geometry, language, morality, and even physical inclines.

Noun

two surfaces meeting at an angle different from 90 degrees
insincere talk about religion or morals
a characteristic language of a particular group (as among thieves)
- they don't speak our lingo
a slope in the turn of a road or track; the outside is higher than the inside in order to reduce the effects of centrifugal force
stock phrases that have become nonsense through endless repetition

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