CANTON • E-FREE TRANSLATION.COM • Definition of Canton

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/kˈæntən/ Listen

noun

Canton n. A song or canto (Obs.) "Write loyal cantons of contemned love."

Canton n.

A small portion; a division; a compartment. "That little canton of land called the "English pale"" "There is another piece of Holbein's,... in which, in six several cantons, the several parts of our Savior's passion are represented."

A small community or clan.

A small territorial district; esp. one of the twenty-two independent states which form the Swiss federal republic; in France, a subdivision of an arrondissement. See Arrondissement.

(Her.) A division of a shield occupying one third part of the chief, usually on the dexter side, formed by a perpendicular line from the top of the shield, meeting a horizontal line from the side. "The king gave us the arms of England to be borne in a canton in our arms."

verb

Canton v. i. (past & past part. cantoned; pres. part. cantoning)

To divide into small parts or districts; to mark off or separate, as a distinct portion or division. "They canton out themselves a little Goshen in the intellectual world."

(Mil.) To allot separate quarters to, as to different parts or divisions of an army or body of troops.

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Etymology of 'Canton'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Canton" Quotes from Famous Books

... Quang-Tong is a province of China, and Canton is the capital; all the vessels at Canton are called Quang-Tongers, but strangers call them Chinese Junks. Now, Miss, you have seen two new things ...

— Nature and Human Nature • Thomas Chandler Haliburton

... Musical Society formed by William Billings, with Squire Elijah Dunbar of Canton as President; probably oldest singing society ...

— Annals of Music in America - A Chronological Record of Significant Musical Events • Henry Charles Lahee

... and Fernando Perez da Andrade, sailing east, passed through the Straits of Malacca, until he reached Canton, then the most celebrated sea-port on the southern coast of China. Thence he sent an ambassador to the Emperor of China, to settle trade and commerce. At first things went well; but when the next Portuguese squadron arrived, the people on board behaved so outrageously to the Chinese that their envoy ...

— Notable Voyagers - From Columbus to Nordenskiold • W.H.G. Kingston and Henry Frith

... especially when it was a sure thing, and five per cent. a month was a matter of no consequence with the holder. They drew bills, too, and sold exchange on every city in Europe; and would have drawn on Canton, had they been honored with a demand. In fine, there was not a city from Constantinople to Oregon, in which they had not a balance, and were prepared to draw upon. And I verily believe that, had it been necessary, they would have had a Bedouin Arab for agent in Egypt. The ...

— The Life and Adventures of Maj. Roger Sherman Potter • "Pheleg Van Trusedale"

... China about the Lorcha "Arrow." This was a Chinese pirate vessel, which had obtained, by false pretences, the temporary possession of the British flag. On Oct. 8, 1856, the Chinese police boarded it in the Canton River, and took off twelve Chinamen on a charge of piracy. This they had a perfect right to do; but the British consul, Mr. Parkes, instead of thanking them, demanded the instant restoration of men who had ...

— Newfoundland and the Jingoes - An Appeal to England's Honor • John Fretwell

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