crook
noun
a bent or curved implement, piece, appendage, etc.; hook.
crook
1 American
[krook]
/ krʊk /
noun
-
crooks
plural
-
a bent or curved implement, piece, appendage, etc.; hook.
-
the hooked part of anything.
-
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.
-
a dishonest person, especially a sharper, swindler, or thief.
-
a bend, turn, or curve.
a crook in the road.
-
the act of crooking or bending.
-
a pothook.
-
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.
verb (used with object)
-
crooks,
present (3rd person singular)
-
crooked,
past participle, past
-
crooking
present participle
verb (used without object)
-
crooks,
present (3rd person singular)
-
crooked,
past participle, past
-
crooking
present participle
crook
2
American
[krook]
/ krʊk /
Crook
3
American
[krook]
/ krʊk /
noun
crook
British
/ krʊk /
noun
-
a curved or hooked thing
-
a staff with a hooked end, such as a bishop's crosier or shepherd's staff
-
a turn or curve; bend
-
informal a dishonest person, esp a swindler or thief
-
the act or an instance of crooking or bending
-
Also called: shank. a piece of tubing added to a brass instrument in order to obtain a lower harmonic series
verb
adjective
-
informal
-
ill
-
of poor quality
-
unpleasant; bad
-
-
informal to lose one's temper
-
informal to rebuke or upbraid
crook
Idioms
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
crooksimple
-
crookssimple
-
have crookedperfect
-
has crookedperfect
-
am crookingprogressive
-
are crookingprogressive
-
is crookingprogressive
-
have been crookingperfect progressive
-
has been crookingperfect progressive
Past
-
crookedsimple
-
had crookedperfect
-
was crookingprogressive
-
were crookingprogressive
-
had been crookingperfect progressive
Future
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
Explanation
A crook is long staff that’s bent at one end, like something you might see a shepherd carrying. A crook can also be a criminal — a person who’s dishonest, or bent, just like the staff. The noun crook entered English in the 13th century as a way to describe the long tool with a hook at one end. It later took on the meaning of “petty criminal.” You can use crook as an informal way to describe someone who is dishonest. A crook is typically involved in minor or nonviolent crimes; you wouldn’t use the word to describe a murderer, for example. A con man or someone committing fraud could be called a crook.
Vocabulary lists containing crook
"The Tragedy of Hamlet," Vocabulary from Act 3
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Selection Vocabulary 2, Unit 3
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American Street
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Fraser also recommended using security devices such as steering locks, also known as "crook locks".
From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026
The ingredients are common sense, not being a crook and having a great client.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 2026
Elizabeth was originally depicted as a shepherdess with a crook and a lamb.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 4, 2026
It was late, and the store was out of disposable bags, so I tucked some of the loot into my dance bag and cradled the rest in the crook of my arm.
From Salon ● Jan. 1, 2026
Then he wiggles down and tucks said nose in the little crook between your chin and your neck, and he just lies there and breathes.
From "Odd One Out" by Nic Stone
He said he had made the decision after taking advice from senior Reform colleagues, and added deputy council leader Kevin Crook had taken over as acting leader.
From BBC ● Nov. 2, 2026
Earlier on Monday, Harrison had told the BBC he would not be stepping down - but he later said he made his decision after talking to Crook and group whip Andrew Hamilton-Gray.
From BBC ● Nov. 2, 2026
“I’d not even picked up on that, but that’s it,” Crook said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2026
There’s a quote from “Justine,” the first novel in the “Alexandria Quartet,” that I shared with Crook.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2026
As Crook finishes, Lincoln comes to his office door.
From "Lincoln's Last Days: The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever" by Bill O'Reilly
What do you know, states are finding more crooks now that they must look or lose money.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 3, 2026
If crooks have access to some of an individual’s personal information, that’s another way to sharpen the hook.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 5, 2026
In the final entry on her blog, posted barely half an hour before she was killed, Caruana Galizia wrote: "There are crooks everywhere you look now. The situation is desperate".
From Barron's ● Sep. 3, 2026
"Those were all written for a TV show, for something that was not for me, so Fantasize comes out, crazy, was stolen... These pirates, crooks, illegal!"
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
He crooks his finger, and then he and Destiny go to dance, too.
From "A Heart in a Body in the World" by Deb Caletti
“The Plan” assumes the crooked, insistent thought processes of a murderer; “Airport Story” is a Kafkaesque nightmare about a never-ending flight delay.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 3, 2026
Obviously such financial freedom was possible—but only if you were a guy who knew how the crooked game was played.
From Slate ● Sep. 20, 2026
In the same over, Abdullah Shafique's crooked bat resulted in an edge to Root at first slip.
From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2026
But the Dodgers failed to turn a bases-loaded situation into a crooked number when Ohtani grounded into a double play to end the inning.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2026
It looked like usual, the NBA poster a little crooked on the wall, the blue bedspread slightly rumpled, the closet door open a crack with his shoes half-in and half-out.
From "Found" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Short as trees go, it has a hunkered-down look, its branches starting low to the ground and crooking and knotting as they rise.
From New York Times ● May 10, 2021
Bransfield summoned him out of classes, sometimes by knocking on the classroom door and beckoning him by crooking his finger, he told The Post.
From Washington Post ● Nov. 29, 2019
He was having an almost violently good time, it appeared, kissing women on the cheek, crooking his arm around his friends’ necks.
From The New Yorker ● Jun. 24, 2019
So police officers, crooking a single finger, have ordered scores of drivers to the curb for breaking the law and issued them a fine for $130.
From New York Times ● Feb. 3, 2012
She ran to the perambulator and rocked it gently, crooking her thin, twisted, old fingers at John and Barbara until they stopped crying and began to laugh.
From "Mary Poppins" by P. L. Travers
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
