Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word canvas. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word canvas, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say canvas in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word canvas you have here. The definition of the word canvas will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofcanvas, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
1882, James Edwin Thorold Rogers, A History of Agriculture and Prices in England, volume 4, page 556:
The term canvas is very widely used, as well to denote the coarse fabrics employed for kitchen use, as for strainers, and wraps for meat, as for the best quality of ordinary table and shirting linen.
1785 August, Benjamin Franklin, “On Improvements in Navigation”, in Jared Sparks, editor, Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin,, volume III, London: ">…] for Henry Colburn,, published 1818, →OCLC, part IV (Philosophical Subjects), page 525:
The double desire of being able to overtake a weaker flying enemy, or to escape when pursued by a stronger, has induced the owners to overmast their cruisers, and to spread too much canvass; and the great number of men, many of them not seamen, who being upon deck when a ship heels suddenly are huddled down to leeward, and increase by their weight the effect of the wind.
A rough draft or model of a song, air, or other literary or musical composition; especially one to show a poet the measure of the verses he is to make.
The plural canvases is used in the US. The plural canvasses is sometimes used in the UK and some UK-influenced areas, but all major British dictionaries (Oxford, Cambridge, Collins and Chambers) consider canvases the correct or standard plural.
But nowe the Meſſenger that was thus ſent to the Lorde Hume , comming to him declared in what caſe hys houſe and people ſtoode, who beeing (as was ſuppoſed) not ſo farre off, but that he might heare howe luſtily the Engliſhe Canons did canuas and batter his Humiſhe Caſtell Walles, did nowe agree to meete the Marshall maiſter Drurie two myles diſtant from the ſayde Caſtell, and there to common further with him in that matter.
Thou that giu'ſt VVhores Indulgences to ſinne, / Ile canuas thee in thy broad Cardinalls Hat, / If thou proceed in this thy inſolence.
a.1661 (date written), H Hammond, “Sect IV. Of the Holy Catholick Church.”, in A Practical Catechism Whereunto is Added the Reasonableness of Christian Religion. By the Same Author.">…], 7th edition, London: J. F. for R Royston,, published 1662, →OCLC, book V, page 354:
he nature of man, created after the Image of God, I mean, his Reaſonable nature, hath ſuch an agreement and liking to all that is ſubſtantially and really good, (ſuch are all the Commands of the Natural and Chriſtian Law) that it ſtill canvaſeth on that ſide, and ſolicites the will to embrace the good, and prefer it before the pleaſurable evil;
1691, , “WILLIAM LENTHALL”, in Athenæ Oxonienses. An Exact History of All the Writers and Bishops who have had Their Education in the Most Ancient and Famous University of Oxford from the Fifteenth Year of King Henry the Seventh, Dom. 1500, to the End of the Year 1690., volume II (Completing the Whole Work), London: Tho Bennet, →OCLC, column 204:
e endeavoured by his Agents to be choſe a Burgeſs for the Univerſity of Oxon, to ſerve in that Parliament vvhich began at VVeſtm 25 Apr. 1660, as at one or tvvo places beſides, vvhere he had canvas'd for votes;
1611, Joseph Hall, “Epistle IIII. To My Lady Honoria Hay. Discoursing of the Necessity of Baptisme; and the Estate of Those which Necessarily Want It.”, in Epistles, volume III, London: ">…] for Samuell Macham,, →OCLC, 5th decade, pages 54–55:
I haue learned this faſhion of St. Hierome the Oracle of Antiquitie, vvho vvas vvont to entertaine his Paula, and Euſtochium, Marcella, Principia, Hedibia, and other deuout Ladies, vvith learned canuaſes of the deep pointes of Diuinity.
1624, Democritus Junior , “Concupiscible Appetite, as Desires, Ambitions, Causes”, in The Anatomy of Melancholy:, 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC, partition 1, section 2, member 3, subsection 11, page 100:
It is a wonder to ſee how ſlauiſhly theſe kinde of men will ſubiect themſelues, vvhen they are about a canvas, to euery inferiour perſon, vvhat paines they vvill take, runne, ride, caſt, plot & countermine, proteſt & ſvveare, vow, promiſe, vvhat labours vndergoe, earely vp, dovvne late;
1624, Democritus Junior , “Against Repulse, Abuses, Iniuries, Contempts, Disgraces, Contumelies, Slanders, Scoffes, &c.”, in The Anatomy of Melancholy:, 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC, partition 2, section 3, member 7, page 287:
But vvhy ſhouldſt thou take thy Canvas ſo to heart? It may bee thou art not fit. But as a childe that vveares his fathers ſhooes, hat, headpeece, breſtplate, or breeches; or holds his ſpeare, but is nether able to vveild the one, or vveare the other; ſo vvouldſt thou doe by ſuch an office or Magiſtracy, thou art vnfit.
I know well enough that the biſhoprics and cures, under kingly and ſeignoral patronage, as now they are in England, and as they have been lately in France, are ſometimes acquired by unworthy methods; but the other mode of eccleſiaſtical canvas ſubjects them infinitely more ſurely and more generally to all the evil arts of low ambition, which, operating on and through greater numbers, will produce miſchief in proportion.