Main Entry: ¹can·cel

Pronunciation: \ˈkan(t)-səl\

Function: verb

Inflected Form(s): can·celed or can·celled; can·cel·ing or can·cel·ling \-s(ə-)liŋ\

Etymology: Middle English cancellen, from Anglo-French canceller, chanceller, from Late Latin cancellare, from Latin, to make like a lattice, from cancelli (plural), diminutive of cancer lattice, probably alteration of carcer prison

Date: 14th century

transitive verb 1 a : to destroy the force, effectiveness, or validity of : annul <cancel a magazine subscription> <a canceled check> b : to bring to nothingness : destroy c : to match in force or effect : offset —often used with out <his irritability canceled out his natural kindness — Osbert Sitwell> d : to call off usually without expectation of conducting or performing at a later time <cancel a football game>
2 a : to mark or strike out for deletion b : omit, delete
3 a : to remove (a common divisor) from numerator and denominator b : to remove (equivalents) on opposite sides of an equation or account
4 : to deface (a postage or revenue stamp) especially with a set of ink lines so as to invalidate for reuseintransitive verb : to neutralize each other's strength or effect : counterbalance

— can·cel·able or can·cel·la·ble \-s(ə-)lə-bəl\ adjective

— can·cel·er or can·cel·ler \-s(ə-)lər\ noun