Anglo-Indian. Also 7 canat, kanate, 9 kanaut, connaut. [Urdū from Arab. qanāt (Yule).] ‘The side-wall of a tent; a canvas enclosure’ (Yule).
1625. Purchas, Pilgrimes, II. 1481. The Kings Tent … incircled with Canats (made of red Calico stiffened with Canes at euery breadth, standing vpright about nine foot high).
1793. Dirom, Camp. India, 230 (Y.). The canaut of canvas … was painted of a beautiful sea-green colour.
1817. Jas. Mill, Brit. India, II. 201 (Y.). Silk of which they make tents and kanauts.
1834. T. Medwin, Angler Wales, I. ix. 163. I have known tents, though the ‘canauts’ (walls) and ‘fly’ (roof) consisted of four or five cloths, completely honeycombed in a very few weeks [by white ants].
