Cant
As a noun, cant refers to insincere or hypocritical language, often used to express pious platitudes without genuine belief, or the specialized jargon of a particular group like thieves or professionals. In modern contexts, it's a handy term for calling out empty rhetoric in politics or marketing, adding a layer of skepticism to everyday discourse. As a verb, it means to tilt or slant something at an angle, commonly seen in engineering or construction.
Did you know?
In the 1560s, Thomas Harman's book 'A Caveat or Warning for Common Cursetors' documented early 'canting' vocabulary from English underworld slang, introducing words like 'nibble' for steal that subtly influenced modern English and revealed how criminal jargon shaped everyday language. This collection of rogue speech is one of the first recorded glossaries of its kind, showing that over 200 words from such dialects have trickled into standard usage.
Verified Sources
Your Usage Frequency
76 / 721