I. VERB AND NOUN USES
/krɒs, AM krɔ:s/
( crosses, crossing, crossed)
Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English.
Please look at category 16 to see if the expression you are looking for is shown under another headword.
1.
If you cross something such as a room, a road, or an area of land or water, you move or travel to the other side of it. If you cross to a place, you move or travel over a room, road, or area of land or water in order to reach that place.
She was partly to blame for failing to look as she crossed the road...
Nine Albanians have crossed the border into Greece and asked for political asylum...
Egan crossed to the drinks cabinet and poured a Scotch.
VERB : V n , V n , V to/into n , also V adv / prep
2.
A road, railway, or bridge that crosses an area of land or water passes over it.
The Defford to Eckington road crosses the river half a mile outside Eckington.
VERB : V n
3.
Lines or roads that cross meet and go across each other.
...the intersection where Main and Center streets cross...
It is near where the pilgrimage route crosses the road to Quimper.
V-RECIP : pl-n V , V n
4.
If someone or something crosses a limit or boundary, for example the limit of acceptable behaviour, they go beyond it.
I normally never write into magazines but Mr Stubbs has finally crossed the line...
VERB : V n
5.
If an expression crosses someone’s face, it appears briefly on their face. ( WRITTEN )
Berg tilts his head and a mischievous look crosses his face...
VERB : V n
6.
A cross is a shape that consists of a vertical line or piece with a shorter horizontal line or piece across it. It is the most important Christian symbol.
Round her neck was a cross on a silver chain...
N-COUNT
7.
If Christians cross themselves , they make the sign of a cross by moving their hand across the top half of their body.
‘Holy Mother of God!’ Marco crossed himself.
VERB : V pron-refl
8.
If you describe something as a cross that someone has to bear, you mean it is a problem or disadvantage which they have to deal with or bear.
My wife is much cleverer than me; it is a cross I have to bear.
= burden
N-COUNT
9.
A cross is a written mark in the shape of an X. You can use it, for example, to indicate that an answer to a question is wrong, to mark the position of something on a map, or to indicate your vote on a ballot paper.
Put a tick next to those activities you like and a cross next to those you dislike.
N-COUNT
10.
If a cheque is crossed , two parallel lines are drawn across it or printed on it to indicate that it must be paid into a bank account and cannot be cashed. ( BRIT )
Cheques/postal orders should be crossed and made payable to Newmarket Promotions.
...a crossed cheque.
VERB : usu passive , be V-ed , V-ed
11.
If you cross your arms, legs, or fingers, you put one of them on top of the other.
Jill crossed her legs and rested her chin on one fist, as if lost in deep thought...
He was sitting there in the living room with his legs crossed.
VERB : V n , V-ed
12.
If you cross someone who is likely to get angry, you oppose them or refuse to do what they want.
If you ever cross him, forget it, you’re finished.
VERB : V n
13.
Something that is a cross between two things is neither one thing nor the other, but a mixture of both.
It was a lovely dog. It was a cross between a collie and a golden retriever.
N-SING : a N between pl-n
14.
In some team sports such as football and hockey, a cross is the passing of the ball from the side of the field to a player in the centre, usually in front of the goal.
Le Tissier hit an accurate cross to Groves.
N-COUNT
15.
A cross street is a road that crosses another more important road. ( AM )
The Army boys had personnel carriers blockading the cross streets.
ADJ : ADJ n
16.
to cross your fingers: see finger
cross my heart: see heart
to cross your mind: see mind
people’s paths cross: see path
to cross the Rubicon: see Rubicon
to cross swords: see sword
see also crossing
II. ADJECTIVE USE
/krɒs, AM krɔ:s/
( crosser, crossest)
Someone who is cross is rather angry or irritated.
I’m terribly cross with him...
She was rather cross about having to trail across London.
= annoyed
ADJ : usu v-link ADJ
• cross‧ly
‘No, no, no,’ Morris said crossly.
ADV : ADV with v