Also 8–9 chaunt. [prob. a. F. chant song:—L. cantu-m (4th decl.) singing, song; but possibly formed immed. from the vb., without reference to the French.)]
1. A song, melody; singing. poetic (also in rogues’ cant.).
1671. Milton, P. R., II. 290. Chant of tuneful birds.
1812. J. H. Vaux, Flash Dict., Chaunt, a song;… to throw off a rum chaunt, is to sing a good song.
1882. Daily Tel., 19 Oct., 5/2. The wicked Miller was accustomed to troll his jovial chaunts when he took the chair in a tavern parlour.
2. Music. A short melody or phrase to which the Psalms, Canticles, etc., are sung in public worship.
The essential characteristic of a chant is the long ‘reciting-note’ to which an indefinite number of syllables are sung, followed by a rhythmical cadence. The modern Anglican chant (derived from the old Gregorian) is either single or double. A single chant is sung to one verse of a psalm, and consists of two strains, of 3 and 4 bars respectively, each beginning with a reciting-note. A double chant has twice the length of a single one, and is sung to two verses.
a. 1789. Burney, Hist. Mus. (ed. 2), I. i. 280. The Chants or Canto Fermo to some of the hymns of the Romish Church.
1795. Mason, Ch. Mus., ii. 156. The accompanied chaunt used in the Psalter.
1867. Macfarren, Harmony, i. 10. The chant peculiar to the Gallican Church.
a. 1876. Newman, Hist. Sk., I. IV. i. 360. The influence of the Ambrosian chants when first introduced at Milan.
1879. Grove, Dict. Mus., I. 337/2. Our own chants for the responses after the Creed.
b. A psalm, canticle, or dirge, so chanted.
1856. Stanley, Sinai & Pal., xiv. (1858), 467. The solemn chants of the Church of Basil and Chrysostom, mingled with the yells of savages.
1860. Adler, Fauriel’s Prov. Poetry, viii. 154. Having admitted profane songs among the chants of the church.
1882. Rossetti, Ballads & Sonn., 154. The slain king’s corpse on bier was laid With chaunt and requiem-knell.
3. A measured monotonous song; the musical recitation of words. (Used with a vague range of meaning between 1 and 2, but usually implying something less tuneful than an air or song.)
1815. Moore, Lalla R. (1824), 300. The minaret-cryer’s chaunt of glee.
1827. J. F. Cooper, Prairie, II. xii. 198. Raising the threatening expressions of their chaunt into louder strains.
1833. Ht. Martineau, Charmed Sea, i. 3. The exiles uplifted one of the patriotic chaunts.
1882. B. Ramsay, Recoll. Mil. Serv., I. iv. 73. The low monotonous chant of an Arab party.
b. A singing intonation or modulation of the voice in speech; a distinctive intonation.
1848–55. Macaulay, Hist., xvii. His strange face, his strange chant, his immovable hat … were known all over the country.
1876. Geo. Eliot, D. Deronda, xvi. The tutor, an able young Scotchman … answered, with the clear-cut, emphatic chant which makes a truth doubly telling in Scottish utterance.
4. slang. (See quots.)
1812. J. H. Vaux, Flash Dict., Chant, a person’s name, address, or designation…. a cipher, initials, or mark of any kind, on a piece of plate, linen, or other article; any thing so marked is said to be chanted.… an advertisement in a newspaper or hand-bill; [etc.].
1824. Compl. Hist. Murder Mr. Weare, 258. Thurtell said, ‘we may as well look and see if there is any chaunt about the money,’ and examined the four notes, but there were no marks upon them.
