Pronunciation: (kan'vus), [key]
1. a closely woven, heavy cloth of cotton, hemp, or linen, used for tents, sails, etc.
2. a piece of this or similar material on which a painting is made.
3. a painting on canvas.
4. a tent, or tents collectively.
6. sails collectively.
7. any fabric of linen, cotton, or hemp of a coarse loose weave used as a foundation for embroidery stitches, interlining, etc.
8. the floor of a boxing ring traditionally consisting of a canvas covering stretched over a mat.
9. under canvas,
a. Naut.with set sails.
b. in tents; in the field: the troops under canvas.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.