—n.
1 a the hollow jointed stem of giant reeds or grasses (bamboo cane). b the solid stem of slender palms (malacca cane).
2 = sugar cane.
3 a raspberry-cane.
4 material of cane used for wickerwork etc.
5 a a cane used as a walking-stick or a support for a plant or an instrument of punishment. b any slender walking-stick.
—v.tr.
1 beat with a cane.
2 weave cane into (a chair etc.).
Phrases and idioms:
cane-brake US a tract of land overgrown with canes. cane chair a chair with a seat made of woven cane strips. cane-sugar sugar obtained from sugar-cane. cane-trash see TRASH.
Derivatives:
caner n. (in sense 2 of v.). caning n.
Etymology: ME f. OF f. L canna f. Gk kanna
Useful english dictionary. 2012.