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A cant is the jargon or language of a group, often employed to exclude or mislead people outside the group. [1] It may also be called a cryptolect, argot, pseudo-language, anti-language or secret language. Each term differs slightly in meaning; their uses are inconsistent. Richard Rorty defines cant by saying that "'Cant', in the sense in which ...
Apr 23, 2021 · Cant words or phrases are close neighbors of cliché. They offer a reassuring patter, somewhere between sound and sense, mild exhortation and sing-along, the audible cement of agreeability. You...
The earliest known use of the noun cant is in the mid 1500s. OED's earliest evidence for cant is from around 1553, in the writing of Gavin Douglas, poet and bishop of Dunkeld. cant is apparently a borrowing from Latin. Etymons: Latin cantus. See etymology.
The meaning of CANT is the expression or repetition of conventional or trite opinions or sentiments; especially : the insincere use of pious words. How to use cant in a sentence.
Mar 22, 2022 · Though many words survive — and new words have entered the lexicon of the criminal underworld — the cant is no longer used as it once was. The legacy of thieves’ cant lives on in people’s desire to escape the constraints of mainstream society’s policing and to demarcate their communities.
What does the verb cant mean? There are 11 meanings listed in OED's entry for the verb cant , three of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.
CAN'T definition: 1. short for cannot: 2. used to suggest that someone should do something: . Learn more.
