• n. 斜面；伪善之言；黑话；角落
• vi. 倾斜；讲黑话
• vt. 把…棱角去掉；使…倾斜；甩掉
• adj. 行话的；哀诉声的；假仁假义的

1.伪善言辞，词源同chant, 唱，吟唱。

2.倾斜，来自PIE *kemb, 弯，转，词源同camber, change,decant.

cant

cant: English has two separate words cant. The older, ‘oblique angle’ [14], originally meant ‘edge’, and appears to have come via Middle Low German kant or Middle Dutch cant, both meaning ‘edge’ or ‘corner’, from Vulgar Latin *canto, a descendant of Latin cantus ‘iron tyre’. which was probably of Celtic origin (Welsh cant means ‘rim’).

The accusative case of the Vulgar Latin word, *cantōnem, was the source of English canton [16], originally ‘corner, section’, now ‘territorial division’; while its Italian descendant, canto, may be the source of Italian cantina ‘cellar’, from which English got canteen [18]. Cant ‘thieves’ jargon’ or ‘hypocritical talk’ [16] was probably originally a specific application of the Latin verb cantāre ‘sing’ (source also of English chant, canto, cantor, cantata, and canticle).

It is usually assumed that the usage derives from an ironic transference of the singing of church congregations or choirs to the wheedling ‘song’ of beggars and (by association) thieves.
=> canteen, canton; cantata, cantor, chant

cant (n.1)

"insincere talk," 1709, earlier it was slang for "whining of beggars" (1640s), from the verb in this sense (1560s), from Old North French canter (Old French chanter) "to sing, chant," from Latin cantare, frequentative of canere "to sing" (see chant (v.)). Sense in English developed after 1680 to mean the jargon of criminals and vagabonds, thence applied contemptuously by any sect or school to the phraseology of its rival.

... Slang is universal, whilst Cant is restricted in usage to certain classes of the community: thieves, vagrom men, and -- well, their associates. ... Slang boasts a quasi-respectability denied to Cant, though Cant is frequently more enduring, its use continuing without variation of meaning for many generations. [John S. Farmer, Forewords to "Musa Pedestris," 1896]

cant (n.2)

"slope, slant," late 14c., Scottish, "edge, brink," from Old North French cant "corner" (perhaps via Middle Low German kante or Middle Dutch kant), from Vulgar Latin *canthus, from Latin cantus "iron tire of a wheel," possibly from a Celtic word meaning "rim of wheel, edge" (compare Welsh cant "bordering of a circle, tire, edge," Breton cant "circle"), from PIE *kam-bo- "corner, bend," from root *kemb- "to bend, turn, change" (cognates: Greek kanthos "corner of the eye," Russian kutu "corner").

1. There has been a great deal of politician's cant.

说了一大堆政客惯用的言不由衷的话.

来自《简明英汉词典》

2. The ship took on a dangerous cant to port.

船只出现向左舷危险倾斜.

来自《简明英汉词典》

3. He knows thieves'cant.

他懂盗贼的黑话.

来自《简明英汉词典》

4. I'cant abear a sulk.

我不能容忍爱生闷气的人.

来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

5. That cant about cures were never got up by sound practitioners.

那种左道旁门的医术,脚踏实地的医师是从来不屑一顾的.

来自辞典例句