I. ˈkrō noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English crowe, from Old English crāwe; akin to Old High German krāwa, krāja crow, Old Saxon krāja, Middle Dutch crā, crāie, Old English crāwan, v.
1. : any of various large usually entirely glossy black birds of Corvus and related genera noted for their alertness and intelligence: as
a. : carrion crow
b. Britain : the rook represented in different regions by distinct subspecies — see eastern crow
c. : the common crow ( C. brachyrhynchos ) of No. America
2. : any bird of the family Corvidae — used chiefly in combination; see fish crow , hooded crow , piping crow
3.
a. : a bar of iron with a beak, crook, or claw ; especially : crowbar
b. : a yoke applied to a street water main to hold the drill for tapping the main
4. archaic : a grapnel used especially in siege operations
5. obsolete : a door knocker
6. : a slightly violet black seen on a glossy surface
7. : negro — usually taken to be offensive; compare jim crow
8. usually capitalized
a.
(1) : a Siouan people inhabiting the region between the Platte and Yellowstone rivers — called also Absaroka
(2) : a member of such people
b. : the language of the Crow people
9. slang : the eagle worn on the sleeves of petty officers of the United States naval forces
•
- as the crow flies
- crow to pull
II. verb
( crowed ˈkrōd ; also in intransitive verb sense 1 chiefly British crew ˈkrü ; crowed ; crowing ; crows )
Etymology: Middle English crowen, from Old English crāwan; akin to Old High German krāen to crow, Middle Low German krēien, Old Slavic grajati to croak, Old English cran crane — more at crane
intransitive verb
1. : to make the loud shrill sound characteristic of a cock
the second time the cock crew — Mk 14:72 (Authorized Version)
a cockerel crew from a blossoming apple bough — W.B.Yeats
2. archaic : to utter a sound expressive of joy or pleasure (as of a baby or child)
3.
a. : to shout especially in exultation, exuberance, or defiance
550 people who had crowded into the old New Orleans dance hall … stamped and crowed — Time
b. : exult
crowing over a recent success
c. : brag
crow over one's ancestors
he had nothing to crow about
transitive verb
: to greet or wake by crowing — often used with up
roosters crowing the sleeping barnyard up
Synonyms: see boast
III. noun
( -s )
1. : the cry of the cock
an old cock … with … a faltering crow — W.M.Thackeray
2. : a triumphant cry : an exultant outburst
she gave a little crow of happiness and gaiety — Charles Reade
IV. noun
( -s )
Etymology: perhaps by folk etymology from Dutch kroos, from Middle Dutch croos intestine; akin to Middle High German krœse, Old High German chrōse, a kind of fritter, Middle High German krūs curly — more at crouse
: the mesentery of an animal especially when used as food
V. transitive verb
: to say with self-satisfaction