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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1941 (SND Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

†CANT, v.¹, n.¹

1. v.

(1) To sing. Obs. earlier in Eng., last quot. 1705 (N.E.D.).Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore 58–59:
Sweet was the sang, the birdies plaid alang, Canting fu' cheerfu' at their morning mang.Rxb. 1821 A. Scott Poems 46:
In the auld man's threadbare tale, Cant our woes in whinin wail.

(2) “To tell merry old stories. Most probably used in this sense, because the most of stories were in rhyme, being sung or chanted by minstrels” (Ayr. 1825 Jam.²).Sc. 1721 Ramsay Poems 18:
Then of auld Stories we did cant Whan we were fou.

2. n. A merry old story.Ags. 1821 A. Wilson Poems 4:
Now here there is an auctioneer He's roupin at a coat An entertainin a' around Wi' mony a cant an' joke.Ayr. 1786 Burns Epistle to J. Rankine ii.:
Ye he sae monie cracks an' cants, And in your wicked, druken rants, Ye mak a devil o' the Saunts.