cane en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /keɪn/
- (US) audio
Etymology
Etymology tree Akkadian 𒂵𒉡𒌑𒌝 (qanûm)bor. Ancient Greek κᾰ́ννᾰ (kắnnă)bor. Latin canna Old French canebor. Middle English cane English cane From Middle English cane, canne, from Old French cane (“sugar cane”), from Latin canna (“reed”), from Ancient Greek κάννα (kánna), from Akkadian 𒄀 (qanû, “reed”). Doublet of canna and kaneh. Related to channel and canal.
Meanings
- (uncountable) A plant with simple stems, like bamboo or sugar cane, or the stem thereof: ▸ The slender, flexible main stem of a plant such as bamboo, including many species in the grass family Gramineae.
- (uncountable) A plant with simple stems, like bamboo or sugar cane, or the stem thereof: ▸ The plant itself, including many species in the grass family Gramineae; a reed.
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(uncountable) A plant with simple stems, like bamboo or sugar cane, or the stem thereof: ▸ Sugar cane.
Still, a dozen men with rifles, and cartridges to match, stayed behind when they filed through a white aldea lying silent amid the cane, and the Sin Verguenza swung into slightly quicker stride.
1907 January, Harold Bindloss, chapter 7, in The Dust of Conflict, 1st Canadian edition, Toronto, Ont.: McLeod & Allen, →OCLC:
- (Southern, US, countable, uncountable) A plant with simple stems, like bamboo or sugar cane, or the stem thereof: ▸ Maize or, rarely, sorghum, when such plants are processed to make molasses (treacle) or sugar.
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(countable) The stem of such a plant adapted for use as a tool: ▸ A short rod or stick, traditionally of wood or bamboo, used for corporal punishment.
He stalked behind her simple narrative, a kill-joy parent, hasty, intolerant, keeping a special cane to enforce the authority of his sadistic God[.]
1930, Norman Lindsay, Redheap, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, →OCLC, page 123:
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(countable, uncountable, with-definite-article) The stem of such a plant adapted for use as a tool: ▸ Corporal punishment by beating with a cane.
The teacher gave his student the cane for throwing paper.
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(countable, uncountable) The stem of such a plant adapted for use as a tool: ▸ A lance or dart made of cane.
Judgelike thou sitt'st, to praise or to arraign / The flying skirmish of the darted cane.
1670, John Dryden, The Conquest of Granada:
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(countable) A rod-shaped tool or device, resembling the stem of the plant: ▸ A strong short staff used for support or decoration during walking; a walking stick.
She was given mobility training as well — she uses a white cane to make her way independently to the hospital and asks for help to navigate traffic-ridden roads if she needs it. The effort is worth it.
2024 September 8, Kamala Thiagarajan, “Women who are blind play a critical role in identifying possible breast cancers”, in NPR:After breaking his leg, he needed a cane to walk.
The cane was undoubtedly of foreign make, for it had a solid silver ferrule at one end, which was not English hall–marked.
1904–1905, Baroness Orczy [i.e., Emma Orczy], “The Ayrsham Mystery”, in The Case of Miss Elliott, London: T[homas] Fisher Unwin, published 1905, →OCLC; republished as popular edition, London: Greening & Co., 1909, OCLC 11192831, quoted in The Case of Miss Elliott (ebook no. 2000141h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg of Australia, February 2020:Men that I knew around Wapatomac didn't wear high, shiny plug hats, nor yeller spring overcoats, nor carry canes with ivory heads as big as a catboat's anchor, as you might say.
1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter X, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y.; London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC:
- (countable) A rod-shaped tool or device, resembling the stem of the plant: ▸ A length of colored and/or patterned glass rod, used in the specific glassblowing technique called caneworking.
- (countable) A rod-shaped tool or device, resembling the stem of the plant: ▸ A long rod often collapsible and commonly white (for visibility to other persons), used by vision impaired persons for guidance in determining their course and for probing for obstacles in their path.
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(uncountable) Split rattan, as used in wickerwork and basketry.
The bed was the most extravagant piece. Its graceful cane halftester rose high towards the cornice and was so festooned in carved white wood that the effect was positively insecure, as if the great couch were trimmed with icing sugar.
1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 1, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:
- (countable, uncountable) A local European measure of length; the canna.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| canes | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
cane fu · cane brake · walking cane · cane ash · hill cane · probing cane · cane borer · Santa's cane · canite · sugar-cane · primocane · ribbon cane · sugar cane · canelike · white cane · dumbcane · sword cane · lawyer cane · caneworking · canefruit · candy cane · canegrass · cany · cane sugar · snake cane · cane killer · caneless · cane grub · rattan cane · cane cutter · cane apple · switch cane · Malacca cane · river cane · cane carter · bamboo cane · caneboard · caner · plant-cane · macaroni cane · cane toad · cane beetle · dumb cane · cane bluestem · sweet cane · blind man's cane · great cane · cane field · cane syrup · canebrake · cane juice · giant cane · canegrub · floricane · cane gall · canecutter · caneland · small cane · caneball · caneware · cane piece · caneology · cane grass · cane train · rivercane · cane rust · canework · cane rat · cane-like · large cane · canefield · cane beardgrass · maiden cane · recane · cane knife
Synonyms
switch · rod · a caning · trunk · cuts · stem · staff · six of the best · reed · whipping · white cane · molasses cane · walking stick · stalk · blind man's cane
Translations (204)
fi ruoko (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · fr bastonnade (the cane: corporal punishment consisting of a beating with a cane) · be трысці́на (long collapsible rod used by vision impaired people) · uk очере́т (plant itself) · lo ອ້ອຍທີ່ສົ່ງອອກ (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · ota كوتك (the cane: corporal punishment consisting of a beating with a cane) · scn corpu di vìriga (the cane: corporal punishment consisting of a beating with a cane) · be чаро́т (plant itself) · luy siboko (a short wooden or bamboo rod or stick used for corporal punishment) · eo promenbastono (long collapsible rod used by vision impaired people) · nl riet (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · tr saz (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · it giunco (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · rif aɣanim (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · ru уда́р па́лкой (the cane: corporal punishment consisting of a beating with a cane) · fi keppi (a short wooden or bamboo rod or stick used for corporal punishment) · it bacchetta (a short wooden or bamboo rod or stick used for corporal punishment) · nv ákaz łikaní (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · de Rohr (plant itself) · mk трска (plant itself) · it bastone (a short wooden or bamboo rod or stick used for corporal punishment) · gl canavela (plant itself) · gl xostra (a short wooden or bamboo rod or stick used for corporal punishment) · fr canne (long collapsible rod used by vision impaired people) · tr baston (long collapsible rod used by vision impaired people) · ko 대 (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · ro tijă (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · cs třtina (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · km រំពាត់ (long collapsible rod used by vision impaired people) · kix vāisǖāi (rope made from bamboo or cane) · be кій (long collapsible rod used by vision impaired people) · tr sopa (the cane: corporal punishment consisting of a beating with a cane) · nl riet (plant itself) · hi बेत (long collapsible rod used by vision impaired people) · bn বেত (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · sw kiboko (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · de weisser Langstock (long collapsible rod used by vision impaired people) · ca canya (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · ru па́лка (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · mk стап (the cane: corporal punishment consisting of a beating with a cane) · nv dáʼákaz łikaní (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · nv lókʼaatsoh (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · gl canivela (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · pt chibateamento (the cane: corporal punishment consisting of a beating with a cane) · hi बेँत (a short wooden or bamboo rod or stick used for corporal punishment) · ota دكنك (a short wooden or bamboo rod or stick used for corporal punishment) · mk стап (long collapsible rod used by vision impaired people) · es bastón (long collapsible rod used by vision impaired people) · he מלקות (the cane: corporal punishment consisting of a beating with a cane) · be трыснёг (plant itself) · sl trs (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · ar بُوص (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · ko 갈대 (plant itself) · la virga (a short wooden or bamboo rod or stick used for corporal punishment) · ja 蘆 (plant itself) · ru прут (a short wooden or bamboo rod or stick used for corporal punishment) · ko 줄기 (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · ceb tubo (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · da hvid stok (long collapsible rod used by vision impaired people) · ko 갈 (plant itself) · scn canna (plant itself) · eo kano (plant itself) · as বেত (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · scn vìriga (a short wooden or bamboo rod or stick used for corporal punishment) · ota صوپه (the cane: corporal punishment consisting of a beating with a cane) · be кій (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · hi बेत (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · be трысці́на (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · oc cana (plant itself) · pt cana (plant itself) · hi बेँत (long collapsible rod used by vision impaired people) · pua p'atamu (plant itself) · km ផ្ដៅ (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · fi korsi (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · oc cana (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · he מַקֵּל (a short wooden or bamboo rod or stick used for corporal punishment) · jv tebu (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · hy եղեգ (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · hi छड़ी (a short wooden or bamboo rod or stick used for corporal punishment) · he קָנֶה (plant itself) · eo vergo (a short wooden or bamboo rod or stick used for corporal punishment) · fi keppi (the cane: corporal punishment consisting of a beating with a cane) · it bastonata (the cane: corporal punishment consisting of a beating with a cane) · ru тростни́к (plant itself) · ko 로 (plant itself) · it bastone (long collapsible rod used by vision impaired people) · gl bastón (long collapsible rod used by vision impaired people) · sk trstina (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · ota دكنك (the cane: corporal punishment consisting of a beating with a cane) · de Blindenstock (long collapsible rod used by vision impaired people) · tr kargı (plant itself) · cmn 蘆葦 /芦苇 (plant itself) · gl fustriga (a short wooden or bamboo rod or stick used for corporal punishment) · tr değnek (long collapsible rod used by vision impaired people) · bg тръсти́ка (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · be трысьнёг (plant itself) · rgn câna (plant itself) · ro baston (long collapsible rod used by vision impaired people) · fr tige (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · hi डंडा (a short wooden or bamboo rod or stick used for corporal punishment) · ja 杖 (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · gl vergasta (a short wooden or bamboo rod or stick used for corporal punishment) · fi keppi (long collapsible rod used by vision impaired people) · qu siku (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · scn vastunata (the cane: corporal punishment consisting of a beating with a cane) · hi बेत (plant itself) · uk трости́на (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · be трысьці́на (long collapsible rod used by vision impaired people) · fi ruoko (plant itself) · kea bengala (long collapsible rod used by vision impaired people) · hu nádpálca (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · it canna (plant itself) · tr saz (plant itself) · ja 葦 (plant itself) · da blindestok (long collapsible rod used by vision impaired people) · sw kiboko (a short wooden or bamboo rod or stick used for corporal punishment) · ru трость (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · pt vergasta (a short wooden or bamboo rod or stick used for corporal punishment) · hi छड़ी (long collapsible rod used by vision impaired people) · eo promenkano (long collapsible rod used by vision impaired people) · tr kargı (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · io bastono (a short wooden or bamboo rod or stick used for corporal punishment) · fr canne blanche (long collapsible rod used by vision impaired people) · ca canya (plant itself) · tr sopa (a short wooden or bamboo rod or stick used for corporal punishment) · tl tubo (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · hi डंडा (long collapsible rod used by vision impaired people) · tr falaka (the cane: corporal punishment consisting of a beating with a cane) · pt chibata (a short wooden or bamboo rod or stick used for corporal punishment) · hi बेँत (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · cs třtina (plant itself) · gl vara (a short wooden or bamboo rod or stick used for corporal punishment) · cmn 莖 /茎 (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · cmn 抽打 (the cane: corporal punishment consisting of a beating with a cane) · gl cana (plant itself) · sh tȑska (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · cmn 藤條 /藤条 (a short wooden or bamboo rod or stick used for corporal punishment) · pt bengala (long collapsible rod used by vision impaired people) · be трысьці́на (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · ccc aki's̈ho (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · es caña (plant itself) · de Rohr (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · bg пръ́чка (a short wooden or bamboo rod or stick used for corporal punishment) · cmn 手杖 (long collapsible rod used by vision impaired people) · sw mmea (plant itself) · sq kallam (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · scn canna (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · gl canaveira (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · af riet (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · gl canavela (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · bg тръсти́ка (plant itself) · tr kamış (plant itself) · pt colmo (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · gl vareada (the cane: corporal punishment consisting of a beating with a cane) · ar قَصَبَة (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · nl roe (a short wooden or bamboo rod or stick used for corporal punishment) · de Rohrstock (a short wooden or bamboo rod or stick used for corporal punishment) · sh тр̏ска (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · mr बेताची काठी (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · luy siboko (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · sw fimbo (long collapsible rod used by vision impaired people) · es bastón blanco (long collapsible rod used by vision impaired people) · mk стап (a short wooden or bamboo rod or stick used for corporal punishment) · uk трости́на (long collapsible rod used by vision impaired people) · hi बेँत (plant itself) · gl canivela (plant itself) · sw fimbo (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · ru трость (long collapsible rod used by vision impaired people) · bg басту́н (long collapsible rod used by vision impaired people) · nl rietstok (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · hy փայտ (a short wooden or bamboo rod or stick used for corporal punishment) · bg бой с пръ́чка (the cane: corporal punishment consisting of a beating with a cane) · nl stok (a short wooden or bamboo rod or stick used for corporal punishment) · luy kumsala (plant itself) · it canna da zucchero (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · nrf houssinne (a short wooden or bamboo rod or stick used for corporal punishment) · ko 매 (a short wooden or bamboo rod or stick used for corporal punishment) · ru ро́зга (a short wooden or bamboo rod or stick used for corporal punishment) · gl canaveira (plant itself) · gl cana (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · mk трска (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · nl blindenstok (long collapsible rod used by vision impaired people) · hi बेत (a short wooden or bamboo rod or stick used for corporal punishment) · it canna (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · mk пра́чка (a short wooden or bamboo rod or stick used for corporal punishment) · eo blindulbastono (long collapsible rod used by vision impaired people) · la canna (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · he קָנֶה (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · sw ufito (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · scn juncu (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · gl carrizo (plant itself) · eo kano (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · it verga (a short wooden or bamboo rod or stick used for corporal punishment) · fi valkoinen keppi (long collapsible rod used by vision impaired people) · hy եղեգ (plant itself) · ru уда́р ро́згами (the cane: corporal punishment consisting of a beating with a cane) · sw ufito (long collapsible rod used by vision impaired people) · es caña (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · ja よし (plant itself) · it canna di bambu (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · fr canne (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo) · fr canne (a short wooden or bamboo rod or stick used for corporal punishment) · luy kumkongojo (long collapsible rod used by vision impaired people) · tr kamış (slender flexible stem of plants such as bamboo)