a quaint affected manner of speaking, adapted chiefly to the lower sort. Skinner racks his invention for the origin of this word; which he successively deduces from the German, Flemish, and Saxon tongues. According to the general opinion, Cant is originally the proper name of a Cameronian preacher in Scotland, who by exercise had attained the faculty of talking in the pulpit in such a tone and dialect as was understood by none but his own congregation: since Andrew Cant's time, the word has been extended to signify all sudden exclamations, and whining unmusical tones, especially in praying and preaching. But this origin of the word has been disputed by others; and perhaps the true derivation is from the Latin cantare "to sing."

Cant is also applied to words and phrases affected by particular persons or professions for low ends, and not authorized by the established language*. The difference between cant and technical seems to be this: the former is restrained to words introduced out of folly, affectation, or imposition; the latter is applied to such as are introduced for the sake of clearness, precision and significance.

Cant is also used to denote a sale by auction. The origin of the word in this sense is dubious; it may come, according to some, from quantum, how much; according to others, from cantare, to sing or cry aloud; agreeably to which, we sometimes also call it an outcry.

Cant-Timbers, in ship-building, those timbers which are situated at the two ends of a ship. They derive their name from being canted, or raised obliquely from the keel; in contradiction from those whose planes are perpendicular to it. The upper ends of those on the bow, or fore part of the ship, are inclined to the stern; as those in the after or hind part, incline to the stern post above. See Ship-Building.