[crop] n [ME, craw, head of a plant, yield of a field, fr. OE cropp craw, head of a plant; akin to OHG kropf goiter, craw] (bef. 12c) 1: a pouched enlargement of the gullet of many birds that serves as a receptacle for food and for its preliminary maceration; also: an enlargement of the gullet of another animal (as an insect)
2. a (1): a plant or animal or plant or animal product that can be grown and harvested extensively for profit or subsistence "an apple ~" "a ~ of wool" (2): the total yearly production from a specified area b: the product or yield of something formed together "the ice ~" c: a batch or lot of something produced during a particular cycle "the current ~ of films" d: collection "a ~ of lies"
3: the stock or handle of a whip; also: a riding whip with a short straight stock and a loop 4a: the part of the chine of a quadruped (as a domestic cow) lying immediately behind the withers--usu. used in pl.--see cow illustration b: an earmark on an animal; esp: one made by a straight cut squarely removing the upper part of the ear c: a close cut of the hair
[2]crop vb cropped ; crop.ping vt (13c) 1 a: to remove the upper or outer parts of "~ a hedge" "~ a dog's ears" b: harvest "~ trout" c: to cut off short: trim "~ a photograph"
2: to cause (land) to bear a crop "planned to ~ another 40 acres"; also: to grow as a crop ~ vi 1: to feed by cropping something
2: to yield or make a crop
3: to appear unexpectedly or casually "problems ~ up daily"