ca' canny
Preserved but no longer current.
A Scots expression meaning "go easily," "don't exert yourself," It is used in trade-union slang for working to rule, and is the method adopted by workmen for the pur- pose of bringing pressure on the employers when, in the workmen's opinion, a strike would be hardly justifiable, expedient, or possible. Ca' is Scots caw, to drive or impel.
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 “ca' canny” mean?
A Scots expression meaning "go easily," "don't exert yourself," It is used in trade-union slang for working to rule, and is the method adopted by workmen for the pur- pose of bringing pressure on the employers when, in the workmen's opinion, a strike would be hardly justifiable, expedient, or possible. Ca' is Scots caw, to drive or impel.
Is “ca' canny” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.