n. A cancerous, gangrenous, or ulcerous sore or disease, whether in animals or plants; hence, any corroding or other noxious agency producing ulceration, gangrene, rot, decay, etc.n. Specifically— Cancrum oris (which see, under cancrum).n. A disease or fungus attacking trees or other plants and causing slow decay.n. In farriery, a disease in horses' feet, causing a discharge of fetid matter from the cleft in the middle of the frog, generally originating in a diseased thrush.n. A canker-worm or insect-larva that injures plants by feeding on them.n. Figuratively, anything that corrodes, corrupts, destroys, or irritates; irritation; pain; grief; care.n. Rust.n. In botany: The canker-rose or field-poppy, Papaver Rhæas.n. The wild dogrose, Rosa canina.n. A toadstool.To infect with canker, either literally or figuratively; eat into, corrode, or corrupt; infect as with a poisonous influence; render ill-conditioned or venomous; make sour and ill-natured.To corrode; grow corrupt; be infected with some poisonous or pernicious influence; be or become ill-conditioned or malignant.To fret; become peevish.To decay or waste away by means of any noxious cause; grow rusty or discolored by oxidation, as a metal.n. An irregular excrescence on the trunks or branches of woody plants, caused by the perennial effort of the tissues to overcome an injury. Cankers may be originated by various causes, such as accidental wounds, injuries by frost, insects, fungi or bacteria, or various combinations of these.n. A disease of fowls affecting the mouth and windpipe. It produces ulceration and often ends in death.