Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(Irish/Scot.) pleasant, cheerful; neat, thorough.

1718		A. Ramsay Lucky Spence’s Last Advice [ballad] Wi well crish'd Loofs I hae been Canty; / [...] / To try the auld Game Taunty Ranty,.
1722		A. Ramsay ‘The Miser and Minos’ Fables and Tales 9: In short he famish’d midst his Plenty, / Which made surviving Kindred canty.
1768		A. Ross Helenore in Wattie Scot. Works (1938) 15: Now Lindy is as canty as a midge.
1787		Burns Death and Dr. Hornbook in Works (1842) 14: The Clachan yill [ale] had made me canty, I was na fou, but just had plenty.
1792		‘Musle-mow’d Charlie’ in Wardroper (1995) 13: For truth he was a canty carle.
1806		A. Douglas ‘May Morning’ Poems in Scot. Dialect 23: An’ younder’s canty Tibby Sma’, A sonsy mettle hizzy.
1827		‘Roy’s Wife of Aldivallock’ Garland of New Songs 8: O she was a canty queen.
1833		Bawbee Bagpipe No. 9 1: A glass o’ Ale’s a canty thing, / It makes a body nappy.
1857		Dundee, Perth & Cupar Advertiser 15 Dec. 1/1: Wi’ canty tale and funny joke, wi’ launchin’ when ther tailor spoke.
1862		Dunfermline Press 27 Aug. 4/1: A cracking, canty carl was he.
1896		R.L. Stevenson Weir of Hermiston 287: cantie, cheerful.
1906		Buchan Obs. 4 Sept. 3/5: The sma bit bonnie villagie o’ Meedlick, wi’ its twa three clean canty houses.
1912		Eve. Teleg. (Dundee) 13 May 2/3: Ma mither, canty, neat and crouse. / Ma faither, best o’ men.
1965		B. Behan Confessions 223: Numerous canty bodies make a wheen of ha’pence on the export trade.