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can’t  –  cant

[slightly different pronunciation]

“Can’t” (with an apostrophe (-’)) is ‘the shortened form of the verb ‘can’ with a negative – cannot’,

[Note: This verb word takes the negative 'not' without space in between; Compare: "is" and 'not' = 'is__not' -- short form: 'isn't', "have" and 'not' = 'have__not' -- 'haven't', but "can" and 'not' = 'cannot' -- 'can't'.]

e.g.

I can’t go out now; I’m busy.

“Cant” (without an apostrophe) is:

(a cant on a road)

(a) ‘the surface of something such as a road, the deck of a ship, etc. with sloping of sideways position (to let the rain water out)’

(b) ‘insincere talk to deceive other people’

(c) ‘a special kind of talk or code words used to keep the meaning known only to a group of people (like a code language)’

e.g.

You can’t understand what they are talking about because they’re using their thieves’ cant.

(a boat canted for repairs)

The fisherman canted his trawler (boat) for repairs.  (i.e. turned the boat sideways)

[Return to "cantor" in People & Professions.]

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