Crabsidle Crab"si`dle (-sī`d'l)
intransitive verb To move sidewise, as a crab. [ Jocular]. Southey.
Crabstick Crab"stick` (-stĭk`)
noun A stick, cane, or cudgel, made of the wood of the crab tree.
Crache Crache (krăch)
v. To scratch. [ Obsolete]
Chaucer.
Crack Crack (krăk)
transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Cracked (krăkt);
present participle & verbal noun Cracking .] [ Middle English
cracken ,
craken , to crack, break, boast, Anglo-Saxon
cracian ,
cearcian , to crack; akin to Dutch
kraken , German
krachen ; confer Sanskrit
garj to rattle, or perhaps of imitative origin. Confer
Crake ,
Cracknel ,
Creak .]
1. To break or burst, with or without entire separation of the parts; as, to crack glass; to crack nuts. 2. To rend with grief or pain; to affect deeply with sorrow; hence, to disorder; to distract; to craze. O, madam, my old heart is cracked .
Shak.
He thought none poets till their brains were cracked .
Roscommon.
3. To cause to sound suddenly and sharply; to snap; as, to crack a whip. 4. To utter smartly and sententiously; as, to crack a joke. B. Jonson. 5. To cry up; to extol; -- followed by up . [ Low]
To crack a bottle ,
to open the bottle and drink its contents. --
To crack a crib ,
to commit burglary. [ Slang] --
To crack on ,
to put on; as, to crack on more sail, or more steam. [ Colloq.]
Crack Crack intransitive verb 1. To burst or open in chinks; to break, with or without quite separating into parts. By misfortune it cracked in the coling.
Boyle.
The mirror cracked from side to side.
Tennyson.
2. To be ruined or impaired; to fail. [ Collog.]
The credit . . . of exchequers cracks , when little comes in and much goes out.
Dryden.
3. To utter a loud or sharp, sudden sound. As thunder when the clouds in autumn crack .
Shak.
4. To utter vain, pompous words; to brag; to boast; -- with of . [ Archaic.]
Ethoipes of their sweet complexion crack .
Shak.
Crack Crack noun 1. A partial separation of parts, with or without a perceptible opening; a chink or fissure; a narrow breach; a crevice; as, a crack in timber, or in a wall, or in glass. 2. Rupture; flaw; breach, in a moral sense. My love to thee is sound, sans crack or flaw.
Shak.
3. A sharp, sudden sound or report; the sound of anything suddenly burst or broken; as, the crack of a falling house; the crack of thunder; the crack of a whip. Will the stretch out to the crack of doom?
Shak.
4. The tone of voice when changed at puberty. Though now our voices
Have got the mannish crack .
Shak.
5. Mental flaw; a touch of craziness; partial insanity; as, he has a crack . 6. A crazy or crack-brained person. [ Obsolete]
I . . . can not get the Parliament to listen to me, who look upon me as a crack and a projector.
Addison.
7. A boast; boasting. [ Obsolete] "
Crack and brags."
Burton. "Vainglorius
cracks ."
Spenser. 8. Breach of chastity. [ Obsolete]
Shak. 9. A boy, generally a pert, lively boy. [ Obsolete]
Val. 'T is a noble child. Vir. A crack , madam.
Shak.
10. A brief time; an instant; as, to be with one in a crack . [ Eng. & Scot. Colloq.]
11. Free conversation; friendly chat. [ Scot.]
What is crack in English? . . . A crack is . . . a chat with a good, kindly human heart in it.
P. P. Alexander.
Crack Crack adjective Of superior excellence; having qualities to be boasted of. [ Colloq.]
One of our crack speakers in the Commons.
Dickens.
Crack-brained Crack"-brained` (-brānd`)
adjective Having an impaired intellect; whimsical; crazy. Pope.
Crack-loo Crack"-loo` noun Also
Crack"a*loo` A kind of gambling game consisting in pitching coins to or towards the ceiling of a room so that they shall fall as near as possible to a certain crack in the floor. [ Gamblers' Cant, U. S.]
Crackajack Crack"a·jack` noun 1. An individual of marked ability or excellence, esp. in some sport; as, he is a crackajack at tennis. [ Slang]
2. A preparation of popped corn, candied and pressed into small cakes. [ U. S.]
Crackajack Crack"a·jack` adjective Of marked ability or excellence. [ Slang]
Cracked Cracked (krăkt)
adjective 1. Coarsely ground or broken; as, cracked wheat. 2. Crack-brained. [ Colloq.]
Cracker Crack"er (krăk"ẽr)
noun 1. One who, or that which, cracks. 2. A noisy boaster; a swaggering fellow. [ Obsolete]
What cracker is this same that deafs our ears?
Shak.
3. A small firework, consisting of a little powder inclosed in a thick paper cylinder with a fuse, and exploding with a sharp noise; -- often called firecracker . 4. A thin, dry biscuit, often hard or crisp; as, a Boston cracker ; a Graham cracker ; a soda cracker ; an oyster cracker . 5. A nickname to designate a poor white in some parts of the Southern United States. Bartlett. 6. (Zoology) The pintail duck. 7. plural (Machinery) A pair of fluted rolls for grinding caoutchouc. Knight.
Cracker State Cracker State Georgia; -- a nickname. See Cracker , noun 5.
Crackle Crac"kle (krăk"k'l)
intransitive verb [ Dim. of
crack .]
To make slight cracks; to make small, sharp, sudden noises, rapidly or frequently repeated; to crepitate; as, burning thorns crackle . The unknown ice that crackles underneath them.
Dryden.
Crackle Crac"kle noun 1. The noise of slight and frequent cracks or reports; a crackling. The crackle of fireworks.
Carlyle.
2. (Medicine) A kind of crackling sound or râle, heard in some abnormal states of the lungs; as, dry crackle ; moist crackle . Quain. 3. (Fine Arts) A condition produced in certain porcelain, fine earthenware, or glass, in which the glaze or enamel appears to be cracked in all directions, making a sort of reticulated surface; as, Chinese crackle ; Bohemian crackle .
Crackled Crac"kled (-k'ld)
adjective (Fine Arts) Covered with minute cracks in the glaze; -- said of some kinds of porcelain and fine earthenware.
Crackleware Crac"kle·ware` noun See Crackle , noun , 3.
Crackling Crac"kling noun 1. The making of small, sharp cracks or reports, frequently repeated. As the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool.
Eccl. vii. 6.
2. The well-browned, crisp rind of roasted pork. For the first time in his life he tested crackling .
Lamb.
3. plural Food for dogs, made from the refuse of tallow melting.
Cracknel Crack"nel noun [ French
craquelin , from D.
krakeling , from
krakken to crack. See
Crack ,
transitive verb ]
A hard brittle cake or biscuit. Spenser.
Cracksman Cracks"man noun ,
plural Cracksmen (-m
e n).
A burglar. [ Slang]
Cracovian Cra·co"vi·an adjective Of or pertaining to Cracow in Poland.
Cracovienne Cra·co`vi·enne" noun [ French, from
Cracow , the city.]
(Mus.) A lively Polish dance, in 2-4 time.
Cracowes Cra"cowes noun plural Long-toed boots or shoes formerly worn in many parts of Europe; -- so called from Cracow , in Poland, where they were first worn in the fourteenth century. Fairholt.
Cradle Cra"dle (krād'l)
noun [ Anglo-Saxon
cradel ,
cradol , probably from Celtic; confer Gael.
creathall , Ir.
craidhal , W.
cryd a shaking or rocking, a cradle; perhaps akin to English
crate .]
1. A bed or cot for a baby, oscillating on rockers or swinging on pivots; hence, the place of origin, or in which anything is nurtured or protected in the earlier period of existence; as, a cradle of crime; the cradle of liberty. The cradle that received thee at thy birth.
Cowper.
No sooner was I crept out of my cradle
But I was made a king, at nine months old.
Shak.
2. Infancy, or very early life. From their cradles bred together.
Shak.
A form of worship in which they had been educated from their cradles .
Clarendon.
3. (Agriculture) An implement consisting of a broad scythe for cutting grain, with a set of long fingers parallel to the scythe, designed to receive the grain, and to lay it evenly in a swath. 4. (Engraving) A tool used in mezzotint engraving, which, by a rocking motion, raises burrs on the surface of the plate, so preparing the ground. 5. A framework of timbers, or iron bars, moving upon ways or rollers, used to support, lift, or carry ships or other vessels, heavy guns, etc., as up an inclined plane, or across a strip of land, or in launching a ship. 6. (Medicine) (a) A case for a broken or dislocated limb. (b) A frame to keep the bedclothes from contact with the person. 7. (Mining) (a) A machine on rockers, used in washing out auriferous earth; -- also called a rocker . [ U.S.]
(b) A suspended scaffold used in shafts. 8. (Carp.) The ribbing for vaulted ceilings and arches intended to be covered with plaster. Knight. 9. (Nautical) The basket or apparatus in which, when a line has been made fast to a wrecked ship from the shore, the people are brought off from the wreck. Cat's cradle .
See under Cat . --
Cradle hole ,
a sunken place in a road, caused by thawing, or by travel over a soft spot. --
Cradle scythe ,
a broad scythe used in a cradle for cutting grain.
Cradle Cra"dle transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Cradled (-d'ld);
present participle & verbal noun Cradling (-dl?ng).]
1. To lay to rest, or rock, as in a cradle; to lull or quiet, as by rocking. It cradles their fears to sleep.
D. A. Clark.
2. To nurse or train in infancy. He that hath been cradled in majesty will not leave the throne to play with beggars.
Glanvill.
3. To cut and lay with a cradle, as grain. 4. To transport a vessel by means of a cradle. In Lombardy . . . boats are cradled and transported over the grade.
Knight.
To cradle a picture ,
to put ribs across the back of a picture, to prevent the panels from warping.
Cradle Cra"dle intransitive verb To lie or lodge, as in a cradle. Withered roots and husks wherein the acorn cradled .
Shak.
Cradleland Cra"dle·land` (krā"d'l*lănd`)
noun Land or region where one was cradled; hence, land of origin.
Cradling Cra"dling noun 1. The act of using a cradle. 2. (Coopering) Cutting a cask into two pieces lengthwise, to enable it to pass a narrow place, the two parts being afterward united and rehooped. 3. (Carp.) The framework in arched or coved ceilings to which the laths are nailed. Knight.
Craft Craft (krȧft)
noun [ Anglo-Saxon
cræft strength, skill, art, cunning; akin to Old Saxon , G., Swedish , & Danish
kraft strength, Dutch
kracht , Icelandic
kraptr ; perhaps originally, a drawing together, stretching, from the root of English
cramp .]
1. Strength; might; secret power. [ Obsolete]
Chaucer. 2. Art or skill; dexterity in particular manual employment; hence, the occupation or employment itself; manual art; a trade. Ye know that by this craft we have our wealth.
Acts xix. 25.
A poem is the work of the poet; poesy is his skill or craft of making.
B. Jonson.
Since the birth of time, throughout all ages and nations,
Has the craft of the smith been held in repute.
Longfellow.
3. Those engaged in any trade, taken collectively; a guild; as, the craft of ironmongers. The control of trade passed from the merchant guilds to the new craft guilds.
J. R. Green.
4. Cunning, art, or skill, in a bad sense, or applied to bad purposes; artifice; guile; skill or dexterity employed to effect purposes by deceit or shrewd devices. You have that crooked wisdom which is called craft .
Hobbes.
The chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft , and put him to death.
Mark xiv. 1.
5. (Nautical) A vessel; vessels of any kind; -- generally used in a collective sense. The evolutions of the numerous tiny craft moving over the lake.
Prof. Wilson.
Small crafts ,
small vessels, as sloops, schooners, ets.
Craft Craft transitive verb To play tricks; to practice artifice. [ Obsolete]
You have crafted fair.
Shak.
crafter crafter noun a creator of great skill in the manual arts. Syn. -- craftsman.
[ WordNet 1.5]
Craftily Craft"i·ly adverb [ See
Crafty .]
With craft; artfully; cunningly.
Craftiness Craft"i·ness noun Dexterity in devising and effecting a purpose; cunning; artifice; stratagem. He taketh the wise in their own craftiness .
Job. v. 13.
Craftless Craft"less adjective Without craft or cunning. Helpless, craftless , and innocent people.
Jer. Taylor.
Craftsman Crafts"man noun ;
plural Craftsmen (-m
e n).
One skilled in some trade or manual occupation; an artificer; a mechanic.
Craftsmanship Crafts"man·ship noun The work of a craftsman.
Craftsmaster Crafts"mas`ter noun One skilled in his craft or trade; one of superior cunning. In cunning persuasion his craftsmaster .
Holland.
Crafty Craft"y adjective [ Anglo-Saxon
cr...ftig .]
1. Relating to, or characterized by, craft or skill; dexterous. [ Obsolete] "
Crafty work."
Piers Plowman. 2. Possessing dexterity; skilled; skillful. A noble crafty man of trees.
Wyclif.
3. Skillful at deceiving others; characterized by craft; cunning; wily. "A pair of
crafty knaves."
Shak. With anxious care and crafty wiles.
J. Baillie.
Syn. -- Skillful; dexterous; cunning; artful; wily; sly; fraudulent; deceitful; subtle; shrewd. See
Cunning .
Crag Crag (krăg)
noun [ W.
craig ; akin to Gael.
creag , Corn.
karak , Armor.
karrek .]
1. A steep, rugged rock; a rough, broken cliff, or point of a rock, on a ledge. From crag to crag the signal flew.
Sir W. Scott.
2. (Geol.) A partially compacted bed of gravel mixed with shells, of the Tertiary age.
Crag Crag noun [ A form of
craw : confer D.
kraag neck, collar, G.
kragen . See
Craw .]
1. The neck or throat [ Obsolete]
And bear the crag so stiff and so state.
Spenser.
2. The neck piece or scrag of mutton. Johnson.
Cragged Crag"ged (-gĕd)
adjective Full of crags, or steep, broken rocks; abounding with prominences, points, and inequalities; rough; rugged. Into its cragged rents descend.
J. Baillie.
Craggedness Crag"ged·ness noun The quality or state of being cragged; cragginess.
Cragginess Crag"gi·ness noun The state of being craggy.
Craggy Crag"gy (krăg"gȳ)
adjective Full of crags; rugged with projecting points of rocks; as, the craggy side of a mountain. "The
craggy ledge."
Tennyson.
Cragsman Crags"man (krăgz"m
a n)
noun ;
plural Cragsmen (- m
e n).
One accustomed to climb rocks or crags; esp., one who makes a business of climbing the cliffs overhanging the sea to get the eggs of sea birds or the birds themselves.
Craie Craie (krā)
noun See Crare . [ Obsolete]
Craig flounder Craig" floun`der (krāg" floun`dẽr). [ Scot. craig a rock. See 1st Crag .] (Zoology) The pole flounder.
Crail Crail (krāl)
noun [ See
Creel .]
A creel or osier basket.
Crake Crake (krāk)
transitive verb & i. [ See
Crack .]
1. To cry out harshly and loudly, like the bird called crake . 2. To boast; to speak loudly and boastfully. [ Obsolete]
Each man may crake of that which was his own.
Mir. for Mag.
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