Canton

Quick meaning: Canton is a noun meaning A division of a political unit.

Meaning

A division of a political unit.

More Meanings

1. A small community or clan.
2. (transitive) To delineate as a separate district.
3. (transitive) To divide into cantons.
4. (transitive) To quarter troops by requisitioning housing from the civilian population.
5. (intransitive) To be allotted such quarters.
6. A subdivision of a flag, the rectangular inset on the upper hoist (i.e., flagpole) side, the upper-left quadrant of a flag, (the stars of the US national flag are in a canton).
7. (heraldry) A division of a shield occupying one third of the chief, usually on the dexter side, formed by a perpendicular line from the top meeting a horizontal line from the side.

Example Sentences

The king gave us the arms of England to be borne in a canton in our arms.

Write loyal cantons of contemnèd love / And sing them loud even in the dead of night.

These three millions live in a small canton of Egypt which cannot maintain twenty thousand people

To the end of husbanding the supplies, he will cause to be cantoned in the cities and villages the greatest possible numbers of troops

Word Forms

• cantons
• cantoning
• cantoned

Synonyms for canton

Depending on context, synonyms include quarter, billet.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include quarter, billet, oblast, county, twp.

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