crook

¹ American  

[krook] / krʊk /

noun

1. a bent or curved implement, piece, appendage, etc.; hook.

2. the hooked part of anything.

3. an instrument or implement having a bent or curved part, as a shepherd's staff hooked at one end or the crosier of a bishop or abbot.

4. a dishonest person, especially a sharper, swindler, or thief.

5. a bend, turn, or curve.

   a crook in the road.

6. the act of crooking or bending.

7. a pothook.

8. Also called shank.  a device on some musical wind instruments for changing the pitch, consisting of a piece of tubing inserted into the main tube.

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verb (used with object)

1. to bend; curve; make a crook in.

   He crooked a finger to get the waitperson's attention.

2. Slang. to steal, cheat, or swindle.

   She crooked a ring from that shop.

verb (used without object)

1. to bend; curve.

   My little toe crooks to the side.

crook ² American  

[krook] / krʊk /

adjective

Australian.

1. sick or feeble.

2. ill-humored; angry.

3. out of order; functioning improperly.

4. unsatisfactory; disappointing.

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Crook ³ American  

[krook] / krʊk /

noun

1. George, 1829–90, U.S. general in Indian wars.

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crook British  

/ krʊk /

noun

1. a curved or hooked thing

2. a staff with a hooked end, such as a bishop's crosier or shepherd's staff

3. a turn or curve; bend

4. informal a dishonest person, esp a swindler or thief

5. the act or an instance of crooking or bending

6. Also called: shank.  a piece of tubing added to a brass instrument in order to obtain a lower harmonic series

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verb

1. to bend or curve or cause to bend or curve

adjective

1. informal

   1. ill

   2. of poor quality

   3. unpleasant; bad

2. informal to lose one's temper

3. informal to rebuke or upbraid

crook Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing crook

• by hook or crook

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Etymology

Origin of crook¹

First recorded in 1125–75; Middle English crok, crouk, from Old Norse krōkr “hook, barb, corner”

Origin of crook²

First recorded in 1875–80; perhaps alteration of cronk

Example Sentences

But up there where my neck craned to see, above the crazy roofs and crooked chimneys, was a square of pale pearl sky.

From Literature

Tansy stuck her in the crook of her arm and climbed the rostrum to settle her in teacher’s chair behind the desk.

From Literature

Snow had drifted into his nostrils in a cruel parody of breath, but his ice-filmed eyes were open, staring at something Torak couldn’t see: something that was cradled in the crook of his dead arm.

From Literature

My shoulders stiffened and I nervously pushed the handle of my handbag up to the crook of my elbow.

From Literature

A show at Hauser & Wirth, “Sometimes a straight line has to be crooked,” puts Henry Taylor’s work in the same room with the work of his mentor, California Modernist James Jarvaise.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• racketeer
• robber
• rogue
• scoundrel
• swindler
• villain