Etymology 1

Noun

1. An argot, the jargon of a particular class or subgroup.

   He had the look of a prince, but the cant of a fishmonger.

2. A private or secret language used by a religious sect, gang, or other group.
3. Shelta.
4. Empty, hypocritical talk.

   People claim to care about the poor of Africa, but it is largely cant.

   • 1749 — Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, Book IV ch iv

     He is too well grounded for all your philosophical cant to hurt.

5. Whining speech, such as that used by beggars.
6. A blazon of a coat of arms that makes a pun upon the name of the bearer.

Verb

1. To speak with the jargon of a class or subgroup.
2. To speak in set phrases.
3. To preach in a singsong fashion, especially in a false or empty manner.
4. Of a blazon, to make a pun that references the bearer of a coat of arms.

Noun

1. (obsolete) corner, niche
2. slope, the angle at which something is set.

   • Owing to the cant of the vessel, the masts hung far out over the water, and from my perch on the cross-trees I had nothing below me but the surface of the bay.

3. A movement or throw that overturns something.

Verb

1. To set (something) at an angle.
2. To bevel an edge or corner.
3. To overturn so that the contents are emptied.