Cancan

[Fr.] A name given to the French contra danse when danced with poses and movements offen. sive to modesty and delicacy. It originated in 1822 at the bals de la chaumière, with the students and the grisettes of Paris, and gradually made its way, though under many protests, to the public stage. Cancel, ( kan's el ,) v. a. [Fr. canceller; Lat. cancelio, to make like a lattice; from cancelli , a lattice, dim. of cancer, a lattice.] Originally, to make cro -bars or lattice-work; to cro the lines of a writing, and deface them, to obliterate; to blot out; to expunge; as, to cancel a signature. "I pa the bills, my lords, for cancelling your debts." Southern. -To annul; to destroy; as, to cancel an obligation. "I here forget all former griefs, Cancel all grudge." - Shaks. (Printing.) To suppre , or replace by other printed matter; as, to cancel a leaf. -n. ( Printing .) The suppre ion or reprinting of a cer tain portion of a work. A leaf to cut away by the bookbinders, and another reprinted leaf substituted, or part of a sheet, usually indicated by a *, †, †, ., in the signature. Cancelier, (kan-se-leer',) v. i. ( Sport.) In falconry, to turn in flight: -spoken of a hawk. "He makes his stoop, but.. is forced to cancelier."-Mas singer. -n. The turn of a hawk to recover herself, when on the wing, having mi ed her aim in the stoop. "The fierce and eager hawks... make sundry canceliers." Drayton. Can cell a'rean, a. Pertaining to a chancellor, or chancellorship. (R.)