κανών
Alt. κα^νών, όνος,
Etym. κάννα
I. "any straight rod or bar":
1. in Hom. the κανόνες of a shield seem to have been "two rods" running across the hollow of the shield, through which the arm was passed.
2. "a rod used in weaving, the shuttle or quill", by which the threads of the woof (πηνίον) were passed between those of the warp (μίτος), Il.
3. "a rule" used by masons or carpenters, Eur., Xen., etc.
b. "a ruler", Anth.
c. metaph., ἀκτὶς ἡλίου, κανὼν σαφής, Milton's "long-levelled "rule" of light, " Eur.
4. "the beam or tongue of the balance", Anth.
5. in pl. "the keys or stops of the flute", id=Anth.
II. metaph., like Lat. regula, norma, a rule, standard of excellence, Eur.;—in Chronology, κανόνες χρονικοί were "chief epochs or eras", Plut.