I. cross 1 S2 W2 /krɒs $ krɒːs/ BrE AmE verb
1 . GO FROM ONE SIDE TO ANOTHER [intransitive and transitive] to go or stretch from one side of something such as a road, river, room etc to the other
cross to
He crossed to the window.
cross (over) the road/street/river etc
It’s easy to have an accident just crossing the road.
He was hit by a car when he tried to cross over the road near Euston station.
cross the Atlantic/the Channel etc
the first steamship to cross the Atlantic
An old bridge crosses the river.
cross over
She crossed over to sit beside Dot.
2 . CROSS A LINE ETC [transitive] if you cross a line, track etc, you go over and beyond it:
He raised his arms in triumph as he crossed the line for his 100-metres win.
3 . TWO ROADS/LINES ETC [intransitive and transitive] if two or more roads, lines, etc cross, or if one crosses another, they go across each other:
The by-pass crosses Wilton Lane shortly after a roundabout.
4 . LEGS/ARMS/ANKLES [transitive] if you cross your legs, arms, or ↑ ankle s , you put one on top of the other:
She was sitting on the floor with her legs crossed.
5 . cross sb’s mind [usually in negatives] if you say that an idea, thought etc never crossed your mind, you mean that you did not think of it SYN occur to somebody :
It didn’t cross her mind that she might be doing something illegal.
the thought has (never) crossed my mind (=used to tell someone you have thought of the thing they are suggesting, or have never thought of it)
6 . cross sb’s face written if an expression crosses someone’s face, it appears on their face:
A look of surprise crossed her face.
7 . cross your fingers used to say that you hope something will happen in the way you want:
She hung the washing out, then crossed her fingers for a dry day.
The exam’s at two. Will you keep your fingers crossed for me?
8 . BREED OF PLANT/ANIMAL [transitive] to mix two or more different breeds of animal or plant to form a new breed ⇨ crossbreed :
a flower produced by crossing several different varieties
cross something with something
These cattle were crossed with a breed from the highlands.
9 . sb’s paths cross ( also cross paths ) if two people’s paths cross, or if they cross paths, they meet, usually without expecting it:
If our paths crossed I usually ignored her.
We didn’t cross paths again until 2001.
10 . cross that bridge when you come to it used to say that you will not think or worry about something until it actually happens
11 . cross my heart (and hope to die) spoken informal used to say that you promise that you will do something, or that what you are saying is true
12 . MAKE SOMEBODY ANGRY [transitive] to make someone angry by opposing their plans or orders:
He hated anyone who crossed him.
13 . SPORT [intransitive and transitive] to kick, throw, or hit the ball across the playing area in a sport such as football, ↑ hockey etc
14 . CHEQUE [transitive] British English to draw two lines across a cheque to show that it must be paid into the bank account of the person whose name is on it
15 . LETTERS [intransitive] if two letters about the same subject cross in the post, each was sent before the other was received
16 . cross swords (with somebody) to argue with someone:
I’ve crossed swords with him on a number of issues.
17 . cross yourself to move your hand across your upper body in the shape of a cross as a sign of the Christian faith
18 . cross sb’s palm with silver especially British English to give money to someone when you want them to tell your ↑ fortune
⇨ dot the i’s and cross the t’s at ↑ dot 2 (4), ⇨ cross the Rubicon at ↑ Rubicon
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THESAURUS
■ to travel
▪ travel to go from one place to another, especially places that are far apart:
We travelled to Russia by train.
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I love to travel.
▪ go to go somewhere – often used instead of travel :
We’re going to Greece for our holidays this year.
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He’s gone to London on business.
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It’s quicker to go by plane.
▪ commute to travel to work or school:
She commutes to work by bicycle.
▪ cross to travel across a very large area, for example a desert or ocean:
The slaves crossed the Atlantic in the holds of the ships.
▪ tour to travel in order to visit many different places, especially as part of a holiday:
They’re touring Europe by coach.
▪ go trekking to do a long and difficult walk in a place far from towns and cities:
They went trekking in the mountains.
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She’s been trekking in Nepal a couple of times.
▪ go backpacking to travel to a lot of different places, carrying your clothes with you in your ↑ rucksack :
He went backpacking in Australia.
▪ roam especially written to travel or move around an area with no clear purpose or direction, usually for a long time:
When he was young, he roamed from one country to another.
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The tribes used to roam around freely, without any fixed territory.
▪ journey literary to travel, especially a long distance:
He journeyed on horseback through Palestine.
cross something ↔ off ( also cross something off something ) phrasal verb
to draw a line through one or more things on a list because you have dealt with them or they are not needed any more:
Whenever I buy something, I cross it off the list.
cross something ↔ out phrasal verb
to draw a line or lines through something you have written or drawn, usually because it is wrong:
I crossed out ‘Miss’ and wrote ‘Ms’.
cross over phrasal verb
1 . if an entertainer crosses over from one area of entertainment to another, they become successful in the second one as well as the first ⇨ ↑ crossover (2)
2 . British English old use to die
II. cross 2 S3 W3 BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 900-1000 ; Language: Old Norse ; Origin: kross , from an unrecorded Old Irish cross , from Latin crux ]
1 . MIXTURE OF THINGS a mixture of two things, breeds, or qualities
cross between
The tour manager’s role is a cross between hostess and courier.
Their dog is a cross between two well-known breeds.
2 . MARK ON PAPER especially British English
a) a mark (x or +) used on paper, to represent where something is, or where something should be:
I’ve put a cross on the map to mark where our street is.
Please sign your name by the cross.
b) a mark (x) used on paper to show that something that has been written or printed is not correct:
My homework got a lot more ticks than crosses.
c) a mark (x or +) used by someone who cannot write, in order to sign their name
3 .
CHRISTIAN SIGN
a) the cross the cross that Jesus Christ died on:
Christians believe that Jesus died on the cross for our sins.
b) an object, picture, or mark in the shape of a cross, used as a sign of the Christian faith or for decoration:
Pauline wore a tiny gold cross.
4 . PUNISHMENT an upright post of wood with another crossing it near the top, that people in the past were fastened to with nails and left to die on as a punishment
5 . MILITARY AWARD a decoration in the shape of a cross that is given to someone as an honour, especially for military courage:
He was awarded the George Cross.
6 . SPORT
a) a kick or hit of the ball in a sport such as football, ↑ hockey etc, that goes across the field
b) a way of hitting someone in the sport of ↑ boxing , in which your arm goes over theirs as they try to hit you:
He caught his opponent with a right cross to the chin.
7 . PROBLEM if you describe something as the cross that someone has to bear, you mean it is a problem that makes them very unhappy or worried, and that continues for a long time:
I feel sorry for you, but we all have our crosses to bear.
⇨ the sign of the Cross at ↑ sign 1 (10)
III. cross 3 S2 BrE AmE adjective [usually before noun] especially British English
angry or annoyed
get/be cross (with somebody)
She gets cross when he goes out drinking.
Sometimes I get very cross with the children.
cross at/about
She was cross at being interrupted.
—crossly adverb
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ angry feeling strong emotions because you think someone has behaved badly, or because a situation seems bad or unfair:
He gets really angry if people keep him waiting.
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a crowd of angry protesters
▪ mad [not before noun] informal angry:
Dad was mad at me for damaging the car.
▪ cross [not before noun] spoken rather angry – used when speaking to people you know well:
She was cross with me for being late.
▪ annoyed [not before noun] a little angry:
I was annoyed no one had told me the class was cancelled.
▪ irritated annoyed and impatient, especially by something that keeps happening or something someone keeps saying:
I was irritated by their stupid questions.
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an irritated voice
▪ bad-tempered becoming annoyed or angry easily:
a bad-tempered old man
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He’s always bad-tempered when he doesn’t get what he wants.
▪ in a bad/foul mood feeling a little angry for a period of time, often for no particular reason:
I woke up in a bad mood.
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She’s been in a foul mood all morning.
▪ in a huff /hʌf/ in an angry mood for a short time, especially because someone has just said something to offend or annoy you:
He walked off in a huff when they refused to let him join in their game.
▪ somebody has got up on the wrong side of the bed informal used when you think someone has been in an angry mood all day, for no particular reason – often used humorously:
I don’t know what’s wrong – she must have got up on the wrong side of the bed today.