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MarvinTheMartian Posted 18 years ago
Grammar
To tilt, to tip vs. to cant, to slant
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.
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.
Top answer
I've not ever heard 'cant' used with this meaning, so it is a bit obscure. The other options are much better.
- I've not ever heard 'cant' used with this meaning, so it is a bit obscure.
- The other options are much better.
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5 Answers
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I've not ever heard 'cant' used with this meaning, so it is a bit obscure. The other options are much better.
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Yes, but you wouldn't really use it in connection to a chair.
I think it's quite a rare word to use.
Nona
I think it's quite a rare word to use.
Nona
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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.
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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.
"I canted my"
(quotation marks are important)
and you'll find enough examples of what can be coupled with this expression.
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