n. & v.
n. 1 a machine for moving heavy objects, usu. by suspending them from a projecting arm or beam. 2 any tall wading bird of the family Gruidae, with long legs, long neck, and straight bill. 3 a moving platform supporting a television camera or cine-camera.
v.tr. 1 (also absol.) stretch out (one's neck) in order to see something. 2 tr. move (an object) by a crane. crane-fly (pl. -flies) any fly of the family Tipulidae, having two wings and long legs: also called daddy-long-legs.
[ OE cran, rel. to L grus, Gk geranos ]