canvas [ME] You can smoke cannabis [L17th], or, more legally, make canvas out of its fibre. The versatile cannabis plant, also known as hemp [OE] (ultimately from the same root), gives its name to the fabric, as both come from Latin cannabis, from Greek kannabis, which was probably borrowed from some other language. To win a race or competition by a canvas is to win it very narrowly. The canvas [L19th] here is the tapered front end of a racing boat, covered with canvas to keep water out. In the early 16th century the verb canvass meant ‘to toss someone in a canvas sheet’, as a punishment or as part of a game. Other early meanings included ‘to beat’ and ‘to criticize severely’. This led on to the idea of discussing an issue, and then to proposing something for discussion. Finally, the word acquired the meaning ‘to seek support’, as in ‘to canvass for votes’ at an election, all this happening during the 16th century.