01 n. A song or canto
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1.
A song or canto[Obs.]“Write loyal cantons of contemned love.” — Shak.
Entry
7 senses · 3 variants
Webster, 1913
Canton
02 n. A small portion; a division; a compartment.
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1.
A small portion; a division; a compartment.“That little canton of land called the “English pale”” — Davies.“There is another piece of Holbein's, . . . in which, in six several cantons, the several parts of our Savior's passion are represented.” — Bp. Burnet.
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2.
A small community or clan.
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3.
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. See: Arrondissement
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4.
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.(Her.)“The king gave us the arms of England to be borne in a canton in our arms.” — Evelyn.
03 v. i. To divide into small parts or districts; to mark off or separate, as a distinct portion or division.
imp. & p. p.
Cantoned; p. pr. & vb. n.
Cantoning
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1.
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.” — Locke.
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2.
To allot separate quarters to, as to different parts or divisions of an army or body of troops.(Mil.)