Cane vs Crutches - What's the difference?
cane | crutches |
To do with a plant with simple stems, like bamboo or sugar cane.
# (uncountable) The slender, flexible main stem of a plant such as bamboo, including many species in the grass family Gramineae.
# (uncountable) The plant itself, including many species in the grass family Gramineae; a reed.
# (uncountable) Sugar cane.
#* {{quote-book, year=1907, author=
, chapter=7, title= # (US, Southern) Maize or, rarely, sorghum, when such plants are processed to make molasses (treacle) or sugar.
The stem of such a plant adapted for use as a tool.
# (countable) A short rod or stick, traditionally of wood or bamboo, used for corporal punishment.
# (uncountable) Corporal punishment by beating with a cane.
# A lance or dart made of cane.
#* (John Dryden) (1631-1700)
A rod-shaped tool or device, somewhat like a cane.
# (countable) A strong short staff used for support or decoration during walking; a walking stick.
#* {{quote-book, year=1905, author=
, title=
, chapter=2 #* , chapter=10
, title= # (countable, glassblowing) A length of colored and/or patterned glass rod, used in the specific glassblowing technique called caneworking.
# (countable) A long rod often collapsible and commonly white (for visibility to other persons), used by vision impaired persons for guidance in determining their course and for probing for obstacles in their path.
(uncountable) Split rattan, as used in wickerwork, basketry and the like.
* {{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham)
, chapter=1, title= A local European measure of length; the canna.
To strike or beat with a cane or similar implement.
(British, New Zealand, slang) To destroy.
(British, New Zealand, slang) To do something well, in a competent fashion.
(UK, slang, intransitive) To produce extreme pain.
To make or furnish with cane or rattan.
As a proper noun cane
is (linguistics).As a noun crutches is
.cane
English
Noun
The Dust of Conflict, passage=Still, a dozen men with rifles, and cartridges to match, stayed behind when they filed through a white aldea lying silent amid the cane , and the Sin Verguenza swung into slightly quicker stride.}}
- Judgelike thou sitt'st, to praise or to arraign / The flying skirmish of the darted cane .
citation, passage=The cane was undoubtedly of foreign make, for it had a solid silver ferrule at one end, which was not English hall–marked.}}
Mr. Pratt's Patients, passage=Men that I knew around Wapatomac didn't wear high, shiny plug hats, nor yeller spring overcoats, nor carry canes with ivory heads as big as a catboat's anchor, as you might say.}}
The China Governess, passage=The half-dozen pieces […] were painted white and carved with festoons of flowers, birds and cupids. […] The bed was the most extravagant piece. Its graceful cane halftester rose high towards the cornice and was so festooned in carved white wood that the effect was positively insecure, as if the great couch were trimmed with icing sugar.}}
Synonyms
* (the slender flexible stem of a plant such as bamboo) stem, stalk; (of a tree) trunk * (the plant itself) reed * (sugar cane) molasses cane * switch, rod * (corporal punishment by beating with a cane) the cane, a caning, six of the best, whipping, cuts * (strong short staff used for support during walking) staff, walking stick * (a long rod often collapsible) white cane, blind man's caneDerived terms
* bamboo cane * blind man's cane * cane knife * cane rat * cane sugar * cane toad * caneworking * floricane * primocane * sugar cane * walking cane * white caneVerb
(can)- Don't hit me with that. It really canes !
- Mate, my legs cane !
- to cane chairs