I. ˈkrəst noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English crouste, cruste, from Middle French & Latin; Middle French croste, crouste, from Latin crusta shell, crust, inlaid work; akin to Old English hrūse earth, ground, Old High German hrosa, hroso ice, crust, Old Norse hrjōsa to shudder, Greek kryos, krymos icy cold, frost, krystallos ice, crystal, Latvian kruvesis frozen mud, Latin cruor blood — more at raw
1.
a. : the hardened exterior or surface part of bread — opposed to crumb
b. : a piece of this or of any bread grown dry or hard : a remnant of food : a bare living
what does he do to earn his crust
2. : the pastry portion of a pie
3. : a hard or brittle external coat or covering of something : a hard exterior surface : outer shell : incrustation: as
a. : the hard surface layer formed on many soils especially when dry or on snow, mud, or lava
b. : the outer part of the earth composed essentially of crystalline rocks and varying in thickness from place to place but prob. nowhere more than a few score miles thick as distinguished from the underlying zones composed of denser but less rigid matter
c. : the horny outer wall of a hoof (as of the horse)
d. : a deposit built up on the interior surfaces of a wine bottle during a long period of aging
e.
(1) : a wound covering composed primarily of serum and blood dried into a hardened mass — called also scab
(2) : an encrusting deposit of serum, cellular debris, and bacteria present over or about lesions of certain skin diseases (as impetigo or eczema)
4.
a. : a defensive simulation or covering or hardness in behavior
a crust of indifference
b. slang : aggressiveness obtuse to the feelings of others : nerve
he had the immortal crust to ask me for a loan
5. archaic : a crusty or surly person
6. : the state of rough-tanned hides or skins before they are dyed ; also : a skin in this state
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English crousten, from Middle French crouster, croster, from crouste, croste
intransitive verb
: to form a crust : become encrusted
crusting had begun over the wound
lava crusts as it cools
transitive verb
: to form a crust on : cover (a surface) with incrustation
ice crusted the pond