好词典

cant

UK /kænt/US /kænt/

词源

源自拉丁语 'cantus'(歌曲),通过古法语 'chant' 传入英语,原指宗教吟唱,后引申为特殊群体用语。动词义项可能源自荷兰语 'kanten'(倾斜)。

noun

❶ 指特定群体或行业的行话、术语,外行人难以理解。常用于描述黑话、专业术语或宗教团体的特殊用语。

“The thieves used cant to communicate without being understood by others.”

(小偷们用黑话交流,避免被外人听懂。)

“Medical cant can be confusing for patients.”

(医学术语可能会让患者感到困惑。)

❶ 虚伪的言辞或套话,表面听起来高尚但缺乏真诚。常用于批评政治或宗教中的空话。

“Politicians often speak in cant to avoid giving direct answers.”

(政客们常说套话,避免直接回答问题。)

“His speech was full of moral cant but lacked real action.”

(他的演讲充满道德空话,却缺乏实际行动。)

同义词:jargon, slang, hypocrisy, vernacular, argot

verb

❶ 倾斜或使某物倾斜,常用于描述船只或建筑的倾斜状态。

“The ship began to cant dangerously in the storm.”

(船只在暴风雨中开始危险地倾斜。)

“He canted the ladder against the wall.”

(他把梯子斜靠在墙上。)

同义词:tilt, slant, slope, incline, angle

常见短语

in cant — 用行话或黑话表达,强调使用特定群体的特殊语言方式。

“The message was written in cant, decipherable only to insiders.”

(这条信息用黑话写成,只有内部人员能看懂。)