Canting arms, as stated in Webster 1913, are arms that make reference to the bearer's name. They are also called punning arms, but there is no humorous intention in them. They have always been quite common.

The Queen Mother's family name is Bowes-Lyon, and her family bear a shield quarterly with bows and lions.

Spain was formed from earlier kingdoms including Castile and Leon; these bore castles and lions.

Shakespeare's father John Shakespeare was granted arms, thereby making the playwright (a) a gentleman and (b) not an upstart but one who had inherited gentility. These arms include a spear diagonally.

Cant"ing (?), a.

Speaking in a whining tone of voice; using technical or religious terms affectedly; affectedly pious; as, a canting rogue; a canting tone.

- Cant"ing*ly, adv. -- Cant"ing*ness, n.

Canting arms, Canting heraldry Her., bearings in the nature of a rebus alluding to the name of the bearer. Thus, the Castletons bear three castles, and Pope Adrian IV. (Nicholas Breakspeare) bore a broken spear.

 

© Webster 1913.

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Cant"ing, n.

The use of cant; hypocrisy.

 

© Webster 1913.