To tilt, to tip vs. to cant, to slant

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MarvinTheMartian

#467725 Wed, 23 Jan 08 02:51 AM

Hello,

I often say (and hear others say) "I tilted my chair back" or "I tipped my chair back". Would it be equally all right to say "I canted my chair back" (as opposed to "I canted back in my chair") or "I slanted my chair back". To me, all these verbs mean more or less the same thing - at least in this context.

MarvinTheMartian

Joined on Fri, Jan 18 2008

Full Member (167)

Verbs

Anonymous

#467829 Wed, 23 Jan 08 09:57 AM

I've not ever heard 'cant' used with this meaning, so it is a bit obscure. The other options are much better.

Anonymous

Marius Hancu

#467878 Wed, 23 Jan 08 11:54 AM

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cant

3 : to set at an angle : tip or tilt up or over : SLOPE, SLANT, INCLINE <cant a cask> <cant a ship>

http://unabridged.merriam-webster.com
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Still, quite rare in such context.

Marius Hancu

Joined on Wed, Apr 26 2006

Montreal, Canada

Veteran Member (11,673)

Anonymous

#467928 Wed, 23 Jan 08 01:29 PM

Yes, but you wouldn't really use it in connection to a chair.

I think it's quite a rare word to use.

Nona

Anonymous

MarvinTheMartian

#468162 Thu, 24 Jan 08 12:22 AM

Thank you everyone. Let me recapitulate: the first, second and fourth options ("tilt", "tip" and "slant") are all acceptable, but the fourth one ("cant") is not. Could someone please post some more examples of the correct usage of "cant"? I'm not sure I understand why it can't be used in this context.

MarvinTheMartian

Marius Hancu

#468317 Thu, 24 Jan 08 12:40 PM

Go to Google and search for

"I canted my"
(quotation marks are important)

and you'll find enough examples of what can be coupled with this expression.

Marius Hancu

Expressions, Quotation marks