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Cane

//keɪn// name, noun, verb, slang

Definitions

Proper Noun
  1. 1
    Abbreviation of Canadian English. abbreviation, alt-of

    "Finally, section (2.5) reviews diachronic language studies on CanE, which is the area of focus in the present study."

  2. 2
    A surname.
Noun
  1. 1
    A plant with simple stems, like bamboo or sugar cane, or the stem thereof:; The slender, flexible main stem of a plant such as bamboo, including many species in the grass family Gramineae. uncountable
  2. 2
    a stiff switch, used to hit (usually students) as punishment wordnet
  3. 3
    A plant with simple stems, like bamboo or sugar cane, or the stem thereof:; The plant itself, including many species in the grass family Gramineae; a reed. uncountable
  4. 4
    a stick that people can lean on to help them walk wordnet
  5. 5
    A plant with simple stems, like bamboo or sugar cane, or the stem thereof:; Sugar cane. uncountable

    "Still, a dozen men with rifles, and cartridges to match, stayed behind when they filed through a white aldea lying silent amid the cane, and the Sin Verguenza swung into slightly quicker stride."

Show 10 more definitions
  1. 6
    a strong slender often flexible stem as of bamboos, reeds, rattans, or sugar cane wordnet
  2. 7
    A plant with simple stems, like bamboo or sugar cane, or the stem thereof:; Maize or, rarely, sorghum, when such plants are processed to make molasses (treacle) or sugar. Southern, US, countable, uncountable
  3. 8
    The stem of such a plant adapted for use as a tool:; A short rod or stick, traditionally of wood or bamboo, used for corporal punishment. countable

    "He stalked behind her simple narrative, a kill-joy parent, hasty, intolerant, keeping a special cane to enforce the authority of his sadistic God[.]"

  4. 9
    The stem of such a plant adapted for use as a tool:; Corporal punishment by beating with a cane. countable, uncountable, with-definite-article

    "The teacher gave his student the cane for throwing paper."

  5. 10
    The stem of such a plant adapted for use as a tool:; A lance or dart made of cane. countable, uncountable

    "Judgelike thou sitt'st, to praise or to arraign / The flying skirmish of the darted cane."

  6. 11
    A rod-shaped tool or device, resembling the stem of the plant:; A strong short staff used for support or decoration during walking; a walking stick. countable

    "After breaking his leg, he needed a cane to walk."

  7. 12
    A rod-shaped tool or device, resembling the stem of the plant:; A length of colored and/or patterned glass rod, used in the specific glassblowing technique called caneworking. countable
  8. 13
    A rod-shaped tool or device, resembling the stem of the plant:; A long rod often collapsible and commonly white (for visibility to other persons), used by vision impaired persons for guidance in determining their course and for probing for obstacles in their path. countable
  9. 14
    Split rattan, as used in wickerwork and basketry. uncountable

    "The bed was the most extravagant piece. Its graceful cane halftester rose high towards the cornice and was so festooned in carved white wood that the effect was positively insecure, as if the great couch were trimmed with icing sugar."

  10. 15
    A local European measure of length; the canna. countable, uncountable
Verb
  1. 1
    To strike or beat with a cane or similar implement.
  2. 2
    beat with a cane wordnet
  3. 3
    To make or furnish with cane or rattan. transitive

    "to cane chairs"

  4. 4
    To destroy; to comprehensively defeat. New-Zealand, UK, slang

    "Mudchester Rovers were caned 10-0."

  5. 5
    To do something well, in a competent fashion. New-Zealand, UK, slang
Show 2 more definitions
  1. 6
    To go very fast. UK, slang
  2. 7
    To produce extreme pain. Australia, UK, intransitive, slang

    "Don’t hit me with that. It really canes!"

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English cane, canne, from Old French cane (“sugar cane”), from Latin canna (“reed”), from Ancient Greek κάννα (kánna), from Akkadian 𒄀 (qanû, “reed”), from Sumerian 𒄀𒈾 (gi.na). Doublet of canna and kaneh. Related to channel and canal.

Etymology 2

From Middle English cane, canne, from Old French cane (“sugar cane”), from Latin canna (“reed”), from Ancient Greek κάννα (kánna), from Akkadian 𒄀 (qanû, “reed”), from Sumerian 𒄀𒈾 (gi.na). Doublet of canna and kaneh. Related to channel and canal.

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