camp candlestick
A bottle, or soldier's bayonet.
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camp out
stay somewhere temporarily, often in a tent or informally
camp out on
stay somewhere for an extended period
Campaign Wig
This style of wig came from France m the early 1 8th century. It was made very full, was curled, and was 18 ins. in length in the front, with drop locks. Sometimes the back part of the wig was put m a black silk bag. The name refers to Maryborough's campaign in the Netherlands.
campbell's academy
The hulks or lighters, on board of which felons are condemned to hard labour. Mr. Campbell was the first director of them. See ACADEMY and FLOATING ACADEMY.
can
To shut up.
can it
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
can of corn
Something easily accomplished or attained
can of worms
A situation that will cause many problems if you try to deal with it
can't afford something
lacks the financial resources to buy or do something
can't afford to do something
lack the financial means to do something
can't carry a tune in a bucket
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
can't get enough
to want or enjoy something very much
can't help
Unable to refrain or resist something
can't stand
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
can't stand the sight of
to strongly dislike someone or something
can't wait
Eagerly anticipate something
canary
A sovereign. From the colour. Very old slang indeed.
canary bird
A jailbird.
canary fit
singing or performing well
canary in a coal mine
Early warning of potential danger or problem
cancel someone's Christmas
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
Candid Camera
An unseen camera which is used to photograph an unsuspecting subject. Candid camera shots, which are often ridicu- lous, are much used m pictorial journalism.
candle in the wind
A person whose life is fragile and vulnerable to external forces.
Candlemas Day
February 2nd, the feast of the Purification of the Virgin Mary, when Christ was presented by her in the Temple; one of the quarter days in Scotland. In Catholic churches all the candles which will be needed in the church during the year are consecrated on this day; they symbolize Jesus Christ, called "the light of the world, and "a light to lighten the Gentiles.' The Romans had a custom of burning candles to scare away evil spirits.
candlesticks
Bad, small, or untunable bells. Hark! how the candlesticks rattle.
cane
To lay Cane upon Abel; to beat any one with a cane or stick.
canhouse
A brothel.
canicular year
The ancient Egyptian year, computed from one heliacal rising of the 0og Star (Sirius) to the next.
canister
The head.—Pugilistic.
Canister Shot
A projectile, used before the invention of the shell, consisting of a container full of shot which disintegrated and showered its contents on the enemy.
canned
Drunk.
Cannel Coal
A corruption of candle coal, so called from the bright flame unmixed with smoke, which this highly bituminous coal yields in combustion.
cannibals
The training boats for the Cambridge freshmen, i.e., "CANNOT-PULLS." The term is applied both to boats and rowers.—See SLOGGERS. Torpids is the usual term for the races in which these men and machines figure.
cannikin
A small can: also, in the canting sense, the plague.
cannikin
A small can, similar to PANNIKIN. "And let the CANNIKIN clink."
cannister
The head. To mill his cannister; to break his head.
Cannon and Ball
A fixed-order word pair (irreversible binomial); full definition pending editorial review.
cannot make it
Unable to attend or participate
canon law
A collection of ecclesiastical laws which serve as the rule of church govern- ment. The professors or students of canon law are known as canonists.
canonical dress
The distinctive or appro- priate costume worn by the clergy according to the direction of the canon. Bishops, deans, and archdeacons, for instance, wear canonical hats. This distinctive dress is sometimes called simply "canonicals"; Macaulay speaks of "an ecclesiastic in full canonicals." The same name is given also to the special robes of other professions, and to special parts of such robes, such as the pouch on the gown of an M.D.
Canonical Epistles
The seven catholic epistles, i.e. one of James, two of Peter, three of John, and one of Jude. The epistles of Paul were addressed to specific churches or to individuals.
canonical hours
The different parts of the Divine Office which follow and are named after the hours of the day. They are seven — viz. matins, prime, tierce, sext, nones, vespers, and compline, Prime, tierce, sext, and nones are the first, third, sixth, and ninth hours of the day, counting from six in the morning. Compline is a corruption of completorium (that which completes the services of the day).
canonical obedience
The obedience due by the inferior to the superior clergy.
canopic vases
Vases used by the Egyptian priests for holding the viscera of bodies em- balmed, four being provided for each body. So called from Canopus, m Egypt, where they were first used.
cans
breasts
cant
An hypocrite, a double-tongue palavering fellow. See PALAVER.
cant
A blow or toss; "a CANT over the kisser," a blow on the mouth; "a CANT over the buttock," a throw or toss in wrestling.
cantab
A student at Cambridge.
cantankerous
Litigious, bad-tempered. An American corruption probably of contentious. A reviewer of an early edition of this book derives it from the Anglo-Norman CONTEK, litigation or strife. Others have suggested "cankerous" as the origin. Bailey has CONTEKE, contention as a Spenserian word, and there is the O.E. CONTEKORS, quarrelsome persons.
Cantate Sunday
Rogation Sun- day, the fourth Sunday after Easter. So called from the first word of the introit of the mass: "Sing to the Lord." Similarly "Lsetare Sunday " (the fourth after Lent) is so called from the first word of the mass.
Canterbury Bells to St
Augustine of England. Crocus „ St. Valentine. Crown Imperial „ Edward the Confessor.
canterbury story
A long roundabout tale.
Canterbury Tales
Chaucer set it forth that he was in company with a party of pilgrims going to Canterbury to pay their devotions at the shrine of Thomas a Becket. The party assem- bled at an inn in Southwark, called the Tabard, and there agreed to tell one tale each, both in going and returning. He who told the best tale was to be treated with a supper on the homeward journey. The work is incomplete, and we have none of the tales told on the way home.
canting
Preaching with a whining, affected tone, perhaps a corruption of chaunting; some derive it from Andrew Cant, a famous Scotch preacher, who used that whining manner of expression. Also a kind of gibberish used by thieves and gypsies, called likewise pedlar's French, the slang, &c. &c.
canting academy
Or, Villanies Discovered, wherein are shown the Mysterious and Villanous Practices of that Wicked Crew—Hectors, Trapanners, Gilts, &c., with several new Catches and Songs; also Compleat Canting Dictionary, 12mo, frontispiece. 1674.
canting dictionary
Comprehending all the Terms, Antient and Modern, used in the several Tribes of Gypsies, Beggars, Shoplifters, Highwaymen, Foot-Pads, and all other Clans of Cheats and Villains, with Proverbs, Phrases, Figurative Speeches, &c., to which is added a complete Collection of Songs in the Canting Dialect, 12mo. 1725.
canting:
A Poem, interspersed with Tales and Additional Scraps, post 8vo. 1814.
canuckistani
Canadian.
canuckistanian
Canadian.
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