Cant
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The word "cant" can mean more than one thing:
- Cant is insincere speech, similar to hypocrisy. The difference between the two is sometimes explained thus: the hypocrite is entirely cynical and doesn't even believe the snake-oil he or she is expounding; while the speaker of cant does have conceptual faith in what he or she says—but won't actually be practicing what he or she is preaching.
- Canting is an old word for punning in heraldry. For example, a person named Connington might have a rabbit (a coney) and a barrel (a tun) on his coat of arms. See Rebus.
- Cant is often used in instant messaging as a shorter form of the contraction can't.
- Cant is term for a secret language, a cryptolect.
- Cant on a road or railway is the difference in elevation of the two sides of the track to help go around curves.
- Cant is an edge, border, nook, or angle. This use of the word likely derives from Old French and is the basis for the term canton.
- CANT was an Italian aircraft company during World War II.