What is the difference between gang and cant?
gang | cant |
A going, journey; a course, path, track.
* 1840 , Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Woodnotes I":
* 1869 , Papa André , Once a Week, page
* 1895 , Frederick Tupper Jr., Anglo-Saxon Dæg-Mæl , Modern Language Association of America, page
A number going in company; a number of friends or persons associated for a particular purpose.
A group of laborers under one foreman; a squad.
(US) A criminal group with a common cultural background and identifying features, often associated with a particular section of a city.
A group of criminals or alleged criminals who band together for mutual protection and profit, or a group of politicians united in furtherance of a political goal.
(US) A chain gang.
A combination of similar tools or implements arranged so as, by acting together, to save time or labor; a set.
A set; all required for an outfit.
(electrics) A number of switches or other electrical devices wired into one unit and covered by one faceplate.
(electrics) A group of wires attached as a bundle.
(mining) The mineral substance which encloses a vein; a matrix; a gangue.
(countable) An argot, the jargon of a particular class or subgroup.
* 1836 , Three discourses preached before the Congregational Society in Watertown,
(countable, uncountable) A private or secret language used by a religious sect, gang, or other group.
Shelta.
(uncountable, pejorative) Empty, hypocritical talk.
* 1749 , , Book IV ch iv
* 1759-1770 ,
(uncountable) Whining speech, such as that used by beggars.
(countable, heraldry) A blazon of a coat of arms that makes a pun upon the name of the bearer, canting arms.
(obsolete) A call for bidders at a public fair; an auction.
* Jonathan Swift
To speak with the jargon of a class or subgroup.
* Ben Jonson
* Bishop Sanderson
To speak in set phrases.
To preach in a singsong fashion, especially in a false or empty manner.
* Beaumont and Fletcher
(heraldry) Of a blazon, to make a pun that references the bearer of a coat of arms.
(obsolete) To sell by auction, or bid at an auction.
(obsolete) corner, niche
* Ben Jonson
slope, the angle at which something is set.
*
An outer or external angle.
An inclination from a horizontal or vertical line; a slope or bevel; a tilt.
A movement or throw that overturns something.
* 1830 , The Edinburgh Encyclopedia, volume 3,
A sudden thrust, push, kick, or other impulse, producing a bias or change of direction; also, the bias or turn so give.
(coopering) A segment forming a side piece in the head of a cask.
A segment of the rim of a wooden cogwheel.
(nautical) A piece of wood laid upon the deck of a vessel to support the bulkheads.
To set (something) at an angle.
To give a sudden turn or new direction to.
To bevel an edge or corner.
To overturn so that the contents are emptied.
(British, dialect) lively, lusty.
As verbs the difference between gang and cant
is that gang is to go; walk; proceed or gang can be to band together as a group or gang or gang can be while cant is to speak with the jargon of a class or subgroup or cant can be to set (something) at an angle or cant can be to divide or parcel out.As nouns the difference between gang and cant
is that gang is a going, journey; a course, path, track while cant is (countable) an argot, the jargon of a particular class or subgroup or cant can be (obsolete) corner, niche.As a adjective cant is
(british|dialect) lively, lusty.gang
English
Etymology 1
From (etyl) gangen, from (etyl) . Ultimately: related to etym. 2, see below.Derived terms
* (l) * (l) * (l) * * (l) * (l) * (l) * (l)Etymology 2
From (etyl) gang, from (etyl) . Cognate with Dutch gang, Icelandic gangur, Norwegian gang ("hallway"), Old Norse gangr (passage, hallway).Noun
(en noun)- In unploughed Maine he sought the lumberers’ gang / Where from a hundred lakes young rivers sprang
418/1:
- That week was also called the Gang Week, from the Saxon'' ganger'', to go; and the Rogation days were termed the Gang Days.
229:
- Neither Marshall nor Bouterwek makes clear the connection existing between the Gang-days and the Major and Minor Litanies.
- the Gashouse Gang
- The gang from our office is going out for drinks Friday night.
- a gang''' of sailors; a railroad '''gang .
- a youth gang'''; a neighborhood '''gang'''; motorcycle '''gang .
- the Winter Hill gang'''; the '''Gang of Four.
- Not all members of the Gang of Six are consistent in their opposition to filibuster.
- a gang''' of saws; a '''gang of plows.
- a new gang of stays.
- an outlet gang''' box; a double '''gang switch.
- a gang of wires
- Do a drop for the telephone gang''', then another drop for the internet '''gang , both through the ceiling of the wiring closet.
Derived terms
* anti-gang * chain gang * gang bang * gang box * gang-buster * gangboard * gang-cask * gangdom * gangland * gangplank * gang rape * gangsman * gang switch * gangster * gang up * gang up on * gangway * ingang * outgang * street gang * umgang * upgangSee also
*Etymology 3
See (gan).cant
English
Etymology 1
From (etyl) , cognate with chant.Noun
(en-noun)- He had the look of a prince, but the cant of a fishmonger.
page 65
- I am aware that the phrase free inquiry has become too much a cant phrase soiled by the handling of the ignorant and the reckless by those who fall into the mistake of supposing that religion has its root in the understanding and by those who can see just far enough to doubt and no further.
- People claim to care about the poor of Africa, but it is largely cant .
- He is too well grounded for all your philosophical cant to hurt.
- Of all the cants' which are canted in this canting world — though the '''cant''' of hypocrites may be the worst — the ' cant of criticism is the most tormenting!
- To sell their leases by cant .
Synonyms
* (private or secret language) argot, jargon, slang * (musical singing) chant, singsongVerb
(en verb)- The doctor here, / When he discourseth of dissection, / Of vena cava and of vena porta, / The meseraeum and the mesentericum, / What does he else but cant ?
- that uncouth affected garb of speech, or canting language, if I may so call it
- the rankest rogue that ever canted
- (Jonathan Swift)
Etymology 2
Noun
(en noun)- The first and principal person in the temple was Irene, or Peace; she was placed aloft in a cant .
- 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.
- (Totten)
page 621
- It is not only of great service in keeping the boat in her due position on the sea, but also in creating a tendency immediately to recover from any sudden cant , or lurch, from a heavy wave; and it is besides beneficial in diminishing the violence of beating against the sides of the vessel which she may go to relieve.
- to give a ball a cant
- (Knight)
- (Knight)
Verb
(en verb)- to cant''' a cask; to '''cant a ship
- to cant''' round a stick of timber; to '''cant a football