Crow

Pronunciation

• RP IPA: /krəʊ/
• US enPR: krō, IPA: /kroÊŠ/
• Rhymes: -əʊ

Middle English crowe, from Old English crāwe, from Proto-Germanic *krāwō (compare West Frisian krie, Dutch kraai, German Krähe), from *krāhaną ‘to crow’. See below.

Full definition of crow

Noun

1. A bird, usually black, of the genus Corvus, having a strong conical beak, with projecting bristles; it has a harsh, croaking call.
• 1922, E.R. Eddison, The Worm OuroborusGaslark in his splendour on the golden stairs saying adieu to those three captains and their matchless armament foredoomed to dogs and crows on Salapanta Hills.
2. A bar of iron with a beak, crook, or claw; a bar of iron used as a lever; a crowbar.
• 1796, Matthew Lewis, The Monk, Folio Society 1985, p. 267:He approached the humble tomb in which Antonia reposed. He had provided himself with an iron crow and a pick-axe: but this precaution was unnecessary.
3. The cry of the rooster.
4. A gangplank (corvus) used by the Roman navy to board enemy ships.
5. (among butchers) The mesentery of an animal.

Synonyms

• (bar) crowbar
• (cry of a rooster) cock-a-doodle-doo

Derived terms

Related terms

• crow eater

Middle English crowen, from Old English crāwan (past tense crēow, past participle crāwen), from Proto-Germanic *krāhaną (compare Dutch kraaien, German krähen), from Proto-Indo-European *greh₂- ‘to caw, croak’ (compare Lithuanian gróti, Russian граять). Related to croak.

Verb

1. To make the shrill sound characteristic of a rooster; to make a sound in this manner, either in joy, gaiety, or defiance.
• ShakespeareThe morning cock crew loud.
• 1962, Bob Dylan, Don't Think Twice, It's All RightWhen your rooster crows at the break o' dawnLook out your window and I'll be gone.
2. To shout in exultation or defiance; to brag.He's been crowing all day about winning the game of cards.
3. To utter a sound expressive of joy or pleasure.
• Tennysonthe sweetest little maid that ever crowed for kisses
• 1913, D. H. Lawrence, ,Hearing the miner's footsteps, the baby would put up his arms and crow.