canton

Definitions

1. 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.
2. 2.A small community or clan.
3. 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.
4. 4.(Her.) 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. The king gave us the arms of England to be borne in a canton in our arms. Evelyn.
5. 5.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.
6. 6.(Mil.) To allot separate quarters to, as to different parts or divisions of an army or body of troops.

Source: Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).

Related questions

• What does "canton" mean?

Reverse-dictionary questions

Definition-first questions whose answer is canton.

• What is 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 called?
• What is 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 called?
• What is to allot separate quarters to, as to different parts or divisions of an army or body of troops called?