Definition

Verb: - To tilt or lean to one side; to move from an upright position into a slanted or inclined position. This describes a physical object losing its vertical balance, often due to an unstable base or external force.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • The strong winds caused the old sailboat to cant over dangerously.
  • If you load the truck unevenly, it might cant over when you go around a corner.

Advanced Usage

• Technical/Descriptive Use: Often used to describe the gradual or sudden leaning of structures, vehicles, or vessels.
  • The crane began to cant over under the weight of the load, forcing the crew to evacuate the area.

Variants and Related Words

• Tilt (verb): To cause to slope or lean.
• Heel over (verb, nautical): Specifically for a ship or boat to lean to one side.
• List (verb, nautical): To lean to one side, typically due to taking on water or uneven weight distribution.
• Slant (verb): To be at an angle; to diverge from a vertical or horizontal line.

Synonyms

• Tip over
• Lean over
• Keel over
• Capsize (implies a complete overturning)

Phrasal Verbs

• Cant over is itself a phrasal verb. It is synonymous with "heel over" and "tilt over."

Related Idioms

• On a cant: In a tilted or sloping position.
  • The picture frame hung on a cant, giving the room a quirky feel.

Verb

1. heel over
   • The tower is tilting
   • The ceiling is slanting