a clouded cane
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
A malacca cane clouded or mottled from age and use. These canes were very fashionable in the first quarter of last century and earlier.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “a clouded cane” mean?
A malacca cane clouded or mottled from age and use. These canes were very fashionable in the first quarter of last century and earlier.
Is “a clouded cane” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.