- great cane
- Cane Cane (k[=a]n), n. [OE. cane, canne, OF. cane, F. canne,
L. canna, fr. Gr. ka`nna, ka`nnh; prob. of Semitic origin;
cf. Heb. q[=a]neh reed. Cf. {Canister}, {canon}, 1st
{Cannon}.]
[1913 Webster]
1. (Bot.)
(a) A name given to several peculiar palms, species of
{Calamus} and {D[ae]manorops}, having very long,
smooth flexible stems, commonly called rattans.
(b) Any plant with long, hard, elastic stems, as reeds and
bamboos of many kinds; also, the sugar cane.
(c) Stems of other plants are sometimes called canes; as,
the canes of a raspberry.
[1913 Webster]
Like light canes, that first rise big and brave. --B. Jonson. [1913 Webster]
Note: In the Southern United States {great cane} is the {Arundinaria macrosperma}, and {small cane} is. {Arundinaria tecta}. [1913 Webster]
2. A walking stick; a staff; -- so called because originally made of one of the species of cane. [1913 Webster]
Stir the fire with your master's cane. --Swift. [1913 Webster]
3. A lance or dart made of cane. [R.] [1913 Webster]
Judgelike thou sitt'st, to praise or to arraign The flying skirmish of the darted cane. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]
4. A local European measure of length. See {Canna}. [1913 Webster]
{Cane borer} (Zo["o].), A beetle {(Oberea bimaculata)} which, in the larval state, bores into pith and destroy the canes or stalks of the raspberry, blackberry, etc.
{Cane mill}, a mill for grinding sugar canes, for the manufacture of sugar.
{Cane trash}, the crushed stalks and other refuse of sugar cane, used for fuel, etc. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
