Cant, v. i. 1. To speak in a whining voice, or an affected, singsong tone.
2. To make whining pretensions to goodness; to talk with an affectation of religion, philanthropy, etc.; to practice hypocrisy; as, a canting fanatic.
The rankest rogue that ever canted.
Beau. & Fl.
3. To use pretentious language, barbarous jargon, or technical terms; to talk with an affectation of learning.
The doctor here,
When he discourseth of dissection,
Of vena cava and of vena porta,
The meseræum and the mesentericum,
What does he else but cant.
B. Jonson
That uncouth affected garb of speech, or canting language, if I may so call it.
Bp. Sanderson.