Cross

Pronunciation

• RP IPA: /krÉ’s/ (also, especially formerly enPR: ô, IPA: /krɔːs/)
• US IPA: /krÉ”s/, /krÉ‘s/
• Rhymes: -É’s
• Rhymes: -É‘s

Origin

From Middle English cross, cros, from Old English cros ("rood, cross"), of origin, from Old Norse kross ("cross"), perhaps from Old Irish cros (compare Welsh croes, Gaelic crois), from Latin crux. Cognate with Icelandic kross ("cross"), Danish kors ("cross"), Swedish kors ("cross"). Displaced native Middle English rood ("rood, cross"), from Old English rōd ("cross, rood, crucifix, pole"); see rood.

Full definition of cross

Noun

1. A geometrical figure consisting of two straight lines or bars intersecting each other such that at least one of them is bisected by the other.Put a cross for a wrong answer and a tick for a right one.
2. (heraldiccharge) Any geometric figure having this or a similar shape, such as a cross of Lorraine or a Maltese cross.
3. A wooden post with a perpendicular beam attached and used (especially in the Roman Empire) to execute criminals (by crucifixion).Criminals were commonly executed on a wooden cross.
4. (usually with the) The cross on which Christ was crucified.
5. A hand gesture made by Catholics in imitation of the shape of the Cross.She made the cross after swearing.
• Sir Walter ScottBefore the cross has waned the crescent's ray.
• Cowper'Tis where the cross is preached.
6. (Christianity) A modified representation of the crucifixion stake, worn as jewellery or displayed as a symbol of religious devotion.She was wearing a cross on her necklace.
7. (figurative, from Christ's bearing of the cross) A difficult situation that must be endured.It's a cross I must bear.
• Ben JonsonHeaven prepares a good man with crosses.
8. The act of going across; the act of passing from one side to the otherA quick cross of the road.
9. (biology) An animal or plant produced by crossbreeding or cross-fertilization.
10. (by extension) A hybrid of any kind.
• Lord DufferinToning down the ancient Viking into a sort of a cross between Paul Jones and Jeremy Diddler
11. (boxing) A hook thrown over the opponent's punch.
12. (football) A pass in which the ball travels from by one touchline across the pitch.
• 2010, December 29, Chris Whyatt, Chelsea 1 - 0 Bolton, And Stamford Bridge erupted with joy as Florent Malouda slotted in a cross from Drogba, who had stayed just onside.
13. A place where roads intersect and lead off in four directions; a crossroad (common in UK and Irish place names such as Gerrards Cross).
14. A monument that marks such a place. (Also common in UK or Irish place names such as Charing Cross)
15. (obsolete) A coin stamped with the figure of a cross, or that side of such a piece on which the cross is stamped; hence, money in general.
• ShakespeareI should bear no cross if I did bear you; for I think you have no money in your purse.
16. (obsolete, Ireland) Church lands.
17. A line drawn across or through another line.
18. (surveying) An instrument for laying of offsets perpendicular to the main course.
19. A pipe-fitting with four branches whose axes usually form a right angle.
20. (Rubik's Cube) Four edge cubies of one side that are in their right places, forming the shape of a cross.

Synonyms

• (production of cross-breeding or -fertilization) hybrid
• (cross on which Christ was crucified) True Cross

Derived terms

Related terms

• crouched
• crucial
• crux

Adjective

1. Transverse; lying across the main direction.At the end of each row were cross benches which linked the rows.
• Isaac Newtonthe cross refraction of the second prism
2. (archaic) Opposite, opposed to.His actions were perversely cross to his own happiness.
3. (now rare) Opposing, adverse; being contrary to what one would hope or wish for.
• 1621, Robert Burton, The Anatomy of Melancholy, New York Review of Books, 2001, p. 50:As a fat body is more subject to diseases, so are rich men to absurdities and fooleries, to many casualties and cross inconveniences.
• Jeremy Taylora cross fortune
• Glanvillthe cross and unlucky issue of my design
• SouthThe article of the resurrection seems to lie marvellously cross to the common experience of mankind.
• DrydenWe are both love's captives, but with fates so cross,
  One must be happy by the other's loss.
4. Bad-tempered, angry, annoyed.She was rather cross about missing her train on the first day of the job.
• Jeremy TaylorHe had received a cross answer from his mistress.
5. Made in an opposite direction, or an inverse relation; mutually inverse; interchanged.cross interrogatoriescross marriages, as when a brother and sister marry persons standing in the same relation to each other

Synonyms

• (opposite to) contrarily, opposed, reverse, antipodal
• (mildly angry) angry, annoyed, irritated

Derived terms

Preposition

1. (archaic) acrossShe walked cross the mountains.
• L'EstrangeA fox was taking a walk one night cross a village.
2. cross product of the previous vector and the following vector.The Lorentz force is q times v cross B.

Related terms

• dot
• × (the multiplication sign)

Verb

1. To make or form a cross.
1. To place across or athwart; to cause to intersect.
   She frowned and crossed her arms.
2. To lay or draw something across, such as a line.
   to cross the letter t
3. To mark with an X.
   Cross the box which applies to you.
4. To write lines at right angles.

• 1977, Agatha Christie, An Autobiography Chapter 4, An indulgent playmate, Grannie would lay aside the long scratchy-looking letter she was writing (heavily crossed ‘to save notepaper’) and enter into the delightful pastime of ‘a chicken from Mr Whiteley's’.
1. (reflexive, to cross oneself) To make the sign of the cross over oneself.
2. To move relatively.
1. (transitive) To go from one side of (something) to the other.
   Why did the chicken cross the road?
   You need to cross the street at the lights.
• 1898, Winston Churchill, The Celebrity Chapter 8, Now we plunged into a deep shade with the boughs lacing each other overhead, and crossed dainty, rustic bridges over the cold trout-streams, the boards giving back the clatter of our horses' feet: or anon we shot into a clearing, with a colored glimpse of the lake and its curving shore far below us.
• 2012, June 19, Phil McNulty, England 1-0 Ukraine, Ukraine, however, will complain long and hard about a contentious second-half incident when Marko Devic's shot clearly crossed the line before it was scrambled away by John Terry, only for the officials to remain unmoved.
2. (intransitive) To travel in a direction or path that will intersect with that of another.
   Ships crossing from starboard have right-of-way.
3. (transitive) To pass, as objects going in an opposite direction at the same time.
• James David Forbes (1809-1868)Your kind letter crossed mine.
4. (sports) Relative movement by a player or of players.
1. (cricket, reciprocally) Of both batsmen, to pass each other when running between the wickets in order to score runs.
2. (football) To pass the ball from one side of the pitch to the other side.
   He crossed the ball into the penalty area.
3. (rugby) To score a try.
• 2011, February 12, Mark Orlovac, England 59-13 Italy, England cut loose at the end of the half, Ashton, Mark Cueto and Mike Tindall all crossing before the break.
3. (social) To oppose.
1. (transitive) To contradict (another) or frustrate the plans of.
   "You'll rue the day you tried to cross me, Tom Hero!" bellowed the villain.
2. (transitive, obsolete) To interfere and cut off; to debar.
• William Shakespeare (1564-1616)to cross me from the golden time I look for
3. (legal) To conduct a cross examination; to question a hostile witness.
4. (biology) To cross-fertilize or crossbreed.
   They managed to cross a sheep with a goat.
5. To stamp or mark a cheque in such a way as to prevent it being cashed, thus requiring it to be deposited into a bank account.

Synonyms

• (to cross-fertilize or crossbreed) cross-fertilize, crossbreed

Derived terms