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the act, process, or business of preserving cooked food by sealing in cans or jars.
Charles John, 1st Earl, 1812–62, British statesman: governor general of India 1856–62.
his father, George, 1770–1827, British statesman: prime minister 1827.
Sir Stratford, Stratford de Redcliffe, 1st Viscount.
to be able to; have the ability, power, or skill to:
She can solve the problem easily, I’m sure.
to know how to:
He can play chess, although he’s not particularly good at it.
to have the power or means to:
A dictator can impose his will on the people.
to have the right or qualifications to:
He can change whatever he wishes in the script.
may; have permission to:
Can I speak to you for a moment?
to have the possibility:
A coin can land on either side.
Obsolete. to know.
a sealed container for food, beverages, etc., as of aluminum, sheet iron coated with tin, or other metal:
a can of soup.
a receptacle for garbage, ashes, etc.:
a trash can.
a bucket, pail, or other container for holding or carrying liquids:
water can.
a drinking cup; tankard.
a metal or plastic container for holding film on cores or reels.
Slang: Usually Vulgar. toilet; bathroom.
Slang. jail:
He’s been in the can for a week.
Slang: Sometimes Vulgar. buttocks.
Military Slang.

a depth charge.
a destroyer.

to preserve by sealing in a can, jar, etc.
Slang. to dismiss; fire.
Slang. to throw (something) away.
Slang. to put a stop to:
Can that noise!
to record, as on film or tape.
carry the can, British and Canadian Slang. to take the responsibility.
in the can, recorded on film; completed:
The movie is in the can and ready for release.
Contemporary Examples

Poet and Rake, Lord Byron Was Also an Interventionist With Brains and Savvy Michael Weiss February 15, 2014
Obama Will Lose Recess Appointment Case, but Will Other Presidents Lose Their Power? Andrew Cohen January 13, 2014
Two Bushes, Two Wars Warren Hoge May 4, 2009
Regrets From the Man Who Fired Steve Jobs Thomas E. Weber June 5, 2010
This Anti-Heroin Drug Is Now King of the Jailhouse Drug Trade Daniel Genis July 16, 2014

Historical Examples

The Victor Bryce Walton
Woman’s Institute Library of Cookery, Vol. 5 Woman’s Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences
The Greville Memoirs Charles C. F. Greville
Woman’s Institute Library of Cookery, Vol. 5 Woman’s Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences
V. V.’s Eyes Henry Sydnor Harrison

noun
the process or business of sealing food in cans or tins to preserve it
noun
Charles John, 1st Earl Canning. 1812–62, British statesman; governor general of India (1856–58) and first viceroy (1858–62)
his father, George. 1770–1827, British Tory statesman; foreign secretary (1822–27) and prime minister (1827)
verb (intransitive) (past) could takes an infinitive without to or an implied infinitive
used as an auxiliary to indicate ability, skill, or fitness to perform a task: I can run a mile in under four minutes
used as an auxiliary to indicate permission or the right to something: can I have a drink?
used as an auxiliary to indicate knowledge of how to do something: he can speak three languages fluently
used as an auxiliary to indicate the possibility, opportunity, or likelihood: my trainer says I can win the race if I really work hard
noun
a container, esp for liquids, usually of thin sheet metal: a petrol can, beer can
another name (esp US) for tin (sense 2)
Also called canful. the contents of a can or the amount a can will hold
a slang word for prison
(US & Canadian) a slang word for toilet or buttocks See toilet
(US, navy) a slang word for destroyer
(navy, slang) a depth charge
a shallow cylindrical metal container of varying size used for storing and handling film
(informal) can of worms, a complicated problem
carry the can, See carry (sense 37)
in the can

(of a film, piece of music, etc) having been recorded, processed, edited, etc
(informal) arranged or agreed: the contract is almost in the can

verb cans, canning, canned
to put (food, etc) into a can or cans; preserve in a can
(transitive) (US, slang) to dismiss from a job
(transitive) (US, informal) to stop (doing something annoying or making an annoying noise) (esp in the phrase can it!)
(transitive) (informal) to reject or discard
v.
n.

A toilet; john •Said to be a shortening of pisscan (1900+)
The buttocks; rump; ass: And that’s when I asked her about her fat can (1910+)
A jail or prison; cell (1910+)
A destroyer; tin can (1930s+ Navy)
A hot rod (1950s+ Hot rodders)
An ounce of marijuana or other narcotic (1930s+ Narcotics)
canvasback duck: I know there are a lot of hunters here this weekend to try for cans (1990s+)

To discharge an employee; fire: He is not the first commentator to be canned by an editor (1905+)
To stop; cease, esp some objectionable behavior •Usu a stern command: Let’s can the noise (1906+)
: They caught him and canned him for two weeks
To score by throwing a basket: Shaq canned another 20-footer (1980s+ Basketball)

cancer (constellation)

can do with
can of worms