cant
cant — noun
1. insincere talk on topics of morality or faith, repeated by someone who does not
insincere talk on topics of morality or faith, repeated by someone who does not genuinely hold those beliefs, just to seem virtuous or win trust.
The politician's speech was full of religious cant, praising faith while taking bribes behind closed doors.
full of cant — describing hypocritical talk
Aiko grew tired of the cant at the charity gala, where guests praised helping the poor but gave nothing.
The newspaper article accused the church leaders of cant, pointing out that their fine words did not match their actions.
Hana left the boardroom during the CEO's cant about fairness, knowing workers were paid poverty wages.
- hypocrisy
the quality of pretending to have beliefs you do not hold; cant is the speech, hypocrisy is the behaviour
- empty rhetoric
formal-sounding words without real meaning; similar register but broader than cant
- platitude
a boring, unoriginal statement; platitudes can be sincere but dull, while cant is always insincere
- sincerity
honest, genuine expression of one's true beliefs
用法筆記
Almost always uncountable. Frequently appears in the pattern 'cant about [topic]' to name the subject of the insincere talk. This sense carries a strongly negative judgement of the speaker.
常見錯誤
2. the private vocabulary of a particular social circle — for example, criminal net
the private vocabulary of a particular social circle — for example, criminal networks, religious sects, or trade groups — often designed to keep insiders' conversations hidden from outsiders.
The thieves spoke in a private cant that the police officers could not understand.
spoke in a private cant — typical verb + preposition pattern
Linguists study the cant of street vendors, noting how it changes from one city market to another.
Yara learned the cant of the fishing community after living on the coast for ten years.
Old sailors' cant includes dozens of unusual words for types of wind and weather.
用法筆記
Distinguish from noun sense 1: sense 1 focuses on insincere moral speech, while sense 2 describes a genuine in-group vocabulary, often neutral in tone. Frequently followed by 'of [group]' or modified by a group name (thieves' cant, traders' cant).
常見錯誤
cant — verb
1. to talk in a falsely moral or religious way, repeating easy phrases that you do
to talk in a falsely moral or religious way, repeating easy phrases that you do not truly believe, in order to sound good or win approval.
The TV preacher canted about family values while secretly living a very different life.
canted about [topic] — verb + about
Rohan refused to cant at the meeting, saying instead that he did not know the answer.
When the senator began to cant about patriotism, several listeners walked out of the room.
The students could tell when their teacher was canting and when she was speaking from genuine belief.
用法筆記
Intransitive only — you cannot 'cant something'. Takes 'about [topic]' to state the subject. This verb is rare in modern English; the noun sense 1 (cant = insincere talk) is far more common than the verb. Learners are more likely to encounter the noun.
常見錯誤
2. to lean or move to one side, or to place something at an angle instead of level,
to lean or move to one side, or to place something at an angle instead of level, so that it is no longer flat or upright.
The old shed began to cant to the left after years of rain had softened the ground beneath it.
cant to the left — intransitive + direction
Diego canted the mirror so that it would catch the morning light from the east window.
canted the mirror — transitive use with object
The sailboat canted sharply as a strong gust of wind hit the canvas from the side.
Priya carefully canted the picture frame so that it hung straight on the sloping attic wall.
- level
to make flat and even; the opposite of setting at an angle
- straighten
to return to an upright position
用法筆記
Transitive when you set something at an angle (I canted the shelf); intransitive when something leans by itself (the pole canted). Common in nautical contexts (a ship cants in rough seas) and in woodworking or construction. Less common than 'tilt' or 'lean' in everyday speech.
常見錯誤
cant — adjective
1. positioned at an angle rather than level or upright; describing a surface, edge,
positioned at an angle rather than level or upright; describing a surface, edge, or corner that has been cut or set with a slope.
The carpenter installed a cant shelf that slanted outward to display the ceramic bowls more clearly.
cant shelf — adjective before noun
The old house had cant window frames that gave each room an unusual, slightly tilted feel.
Beatriz chose a cant base for her pottery, so each finished bowl sat at a gentle angle on the table.
The staircase had cant steps, narrowing at one end to follow the curved wall of the tower.
用法筆記
Rare in everyday speech. Typically appears in architecture, woodworking, and engineering contexts. 'Canted' (past participle as adjective) is more common than 'cant' as a bare adjective: e.g. 'a canted corner' is much more frequent than 'a cant corner'. Highly technical register.