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candroy

(obsolete, UK, dialect, manufacturing) A machine for spreading or winding out cotton cloths to prepare them for printing.

ˈkænˌdɹɔɪSilenthistorical281 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
🇬🇧 British & Irish slang
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UK
#1·Apr 27, 2026UK

(obsolete, UK, dialect, manufacturing) A machine for spreading or winding out cotton cloths to prepare them for printing.

For parents

"candroy" is an old or dialect word meaning a machine for spreading or winding out cotton cloths to prepare them for printing. If your teen uses it, they have most likely picked it up from a book, video game, period drama, or a regional grandparent rather than a modern peer group. There is no cause for concern here; the word is largely out of contemporary teen usage. If it appears in a school text, it is being studied for vocabulary or historical context. You can treat it like any other archaic vocabulary item.

For ESL learners

"candroy" is obsolete or literary English meaning a machine for spreading or winding out cotton cloths to prepare them for printing. It is mainly heard in British English (and Irish English). A more formal or neutral equivalent would be something like "a machine for spreading or winding out cotton cloths to prepare them for printing" expressed in standard vocabulary. A common mistake is to use "candroy" in modern conversation; it will sound strange or theatrical. Recognise it in older texts, but use the modern equivalent when speaking.

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For specific readers

"candroy" is an old or dialect word meaning a machine for spreading or winding out cotton cloths to prepare them for printing. If your teen uses it, they have most likely picked it up from a book, video game, period drama, or a regional grandparent rather than a modern peer group. There is no cause for concern here; the word is largely out of contemporary teen usage. If it appears in a school text, it is being studied for vocabulary or historical context. You can treat it like any other archaic vocabulary item.

Why is this section here?

Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.

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UK

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🇬🇧About British & Irish slang slang

UK and Irish slang — Cockney, Scouse, Geordie, Yorkshire, Glaswegian, Brummie, Welsh, West Country, plus Irish English. Centuries of regional dialects feeding into modern British and Irish street talk.

See all British & Irish slang slang on Slangora.

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