Cruise

Pronunciation

• enPR: kroÍžoz, IPA: /kruːz/
• Homophones: crews
• Rhymes: -uːz

Alternative forms

• cruize

Origin

Borrowing from nl kruisen, from kruis ("cross"), from Middle Dutch cruce, from Latin crux.

Full definition of cruise

Noun

1. A sea or lake voyage, especially one taken for pleasure.
• 1898, Winston Churchill, The Celebrity Chapter 4, Judge Short had gone to town, and Farrar was off for a three days' cruise up the lake. I was bitterly regretting I had not gone with him when the distant notes of a coach horn reached my ear, and I descried a four-in-hand winding its way up the inn road from the direction of Mohair.

Derived terms

• cruise control
• cruise missile
• cruise ship
• cruiser
• cruisey/cruisy
• cruisewear
• pleasure cruise

Verb

1. (intransitive) To sail about, especially for pleasure.
• 1907, Robert Chambers, The Younger Set Chapter 9/2, He and Gerald usually challenged the rollers in a sponson canoe when Gerald was there for the weekend; or, when Lansing came down, the two took long swims seaward or cruised about in Gerald's dory, clad in their swimming-suits; …
2. (intransitive) To travel at constant speed for maximum operating efficiency.
3. (transitive) To move about an area leisurely in the hope of discovering something, or looking for custom.
4. (transitive, colloquial) To actively seek a romantic partner or casual sexual partner by moving about a particular area; to troll.
5. (intransitive, child development) To walk while holding on to an object (stage in development of ambulation, typically occurring at 10 months).
6. (intransitive, sports) To win easily and convincingly.
   Germany cruised to a World Cup victory over the short-handed Australians.

Derived terms

• cruising for a bruising

Anagrams

• curies