Canton

n. [Fr., Pr., & Sp. canton, It. cantone, L. Lat. cantonus, corner, corner-stone, district, aug. of O. Fr. cant, It. & Sp. canto, edge, corner. See CANT, n.]

1Sense 1. A small portion or division of territory.

That little canton of land called the “English pale.” Davies.

2Sense 2. A small community or clan. Buxton.

3Sense 3. A small portion or district of territory, constituting a distinct state or government; as, the cantons of Switzerland.

4Sense 4. (Her.) A division of a shield in one corner, usually the right, smaller than the quarter, formed by a perpendicular line from the top of the shield, meeting a horizontal line from the side. Burke.

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

5Sense 5. A distinct part, or division; as, the cantons of a painting or other representation.

v. t. [imp. & p. p. CANTONED; p. pr. & vb. n. CANTONING.] [Fr. cantonner. See supra.]

1Sense 1. To divide into small parts or districts, as territory; to divide into distinct portions.

They canton out to themselves a little province in the intellectual world. Watts.

Cantoned building (Arch.), one whose angles are decorated with columns, pilasters, rustic quoins, or any thing projecting from the naked wall. Gwill.

2Sense 2. To allot separate quarters to, as to different parts or divisions of an army or body of troops.