Heading
hyred a coach on a Thursday after Whitsontide . . . they were so be-madam'd, be-*mistrist, and ladified by the beggars, that the foolish women began to swell with a proud supposition or imaginary greatness, and gave all their mony to the mendicanting canters.
1878. Charles Hindley, Life and Times of James Catnach. 'Song of the Young Prig.' My mother she dwelt in Dyot's Isle, One of the canting crew, sirs.
Canticle, subs. (old).—A parish
clerk. [From canticle, a song
or psalm; one of the duties of a
parish clerk being to lead the
congregational singing.] So
given in Grose [1785], and in the
Lexicon Balatronicum [1811].
Also called an amen curler
(q.v.).
Canting, verbal subs. (old).—The
jargon used by beggars, thieves,
gipsies, and vagrants. The same
as Cant, subs., sense 1, which
seems to be an abbreviated and
later form of canting; Cf. 'cab'
from 'cabriolet' and 'bus' from
'omnibus.'
1567. Habman, Caveat (1814), p. 6, Their language which they terms peddelers Frenche or canting.
1610. Jonson, Alchemist, II. Supr. What a brave language here is! next to canting.
1688. Shadwell, Sq. of Alsatia. I., in wks. (1720) IV., 27. A particular language which such rogues have made to themselves, called canting, as beggars, gipsies, thieves, and jail-birds do.
1742. Johnson, Highwayman and Pyrates, p. 57. All the canting language (which comprehends a parcel of invented words, such as thieves very well know, and by which they can distinguish one another from the other classes of mankind.)
Ppl. adj.—Belonging to the jargon of thieves and beggars.
1592. Groundwork Coney-Catch, 99 The manner of their canting speech [m.)
1871. London Figaro, 13 May, p. 3, col. 2. 'Bill's dead on for a lark with the canting bloke,' whispered a lean and hungry-looking 'casual' to a no less half-starved neighbour.
Canting Crew.—See Canter.
Can't Say National Intelligencer,
phr. (American).—A euphemistic
expression equivalent
to 'drunk.' [The National Intelligencer
is an old Washington
newspaper.] For synonyms, see
Screwed.
Can't see a Hole in a Ladder,
phr. (American).—Referring to a
superlative form of intoxication.
For synonyms, see Screwed.
Canuck.—See Canack.
Canvass. To receive the canvass,
phr. (old).—A seventeenth
century colloquialism for 'to be
dismissed'; in modern slang 'to
get the sack.'—See Bag, sense 2,
and Sack.
1652. Shirley, The Brothers, Act. ii. As much as marriage comes to, and I lose My honor, if the Don receives the canvas.
Canvasseens, subs. (nautical).—Sailors'
canvas trousers. For
synonyms, see Bags and Kicks.
Canvass-Town, subs. (general).—The
Volunteer Encampment at
Wimbledon or Bisley when the
National Rifle Association meets;
also any camp or 'baby'-city.
Cf., Bull's-eye Villas.
Cap, subs. (thieves').—1. A false
cover to a tossing coin, called a
cover-town. The cap showed
either head or tail as it was left
on or taken off. Obsolete.
