crab

[ krab ]

/ kræb /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR crab ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

any decapod crustacean of the suborder Brachyura, having the eyes on short stalks and a short, broad, more or less flattened body, the abdomen being small and folded under the thorax.

any of various other crustaceans, as the hermit crab, or other animals, as the horseshoe crab, resembling the true crabs.

(initial capital letter) Astronomy, Astrology. the zodiacal constellation or sign Cancer.

(initial capital letter) Astronomy. the Crab Nebula.

any of various mechanical contrivances for hoisting or pulling.

Aeronautics. the maneuver of crabbing.

Informal. the crab louse.See under louse(def 1).

crabs,

(used with a singular verb) a losing throw, as two aces, in the game of hazard.
pediculosis.

verb (used without object), crabbed, crab·bing.

to catch or attempt to catch crabs.

to move sideways, diagonally, or obliquely, especially with short, abrupt bursts of speed; scuttle.

Aeronautics. (of an aircraft) to head partly into the wind to compensate for drift.

Nautical. to drift or advance with some movement sideways, especially when under tow.

verb (used with object), crabbed, crab·bing.

to move (a vehicle or object) sideways, diagonally, or obliquely, especially with short, abrupt movements.

Aeronautics. to head (an aircraft) partly into the wind to compensate for drift.

Nearby words

cqb, cqsw, cr, cr., craal, crab, crab apple, crab cactus, crab canon, crab grass, crab louse

Idioms

catch a crab, to make a faulty stroke in rowing, so that the oar strikes the water forcibly on the backstroke.

Origin of crab

before 1000; Middle English crabbe, Old English crabba; cognate with Dutch krab, Old Norse krabbi; akin to German Krebs

Related formscrab·like, adjective

Definition for crabs (2 of 3)

crab

[ krab ]

/ kræb /

noun

a crab apple fruit or tree.

Origin of crab

1300–50; Middle English crabbe; perhaps special use of crab¹

Definition for crabs (3 of 3)

crab

[ krab ]

/ kræb /

noun

Informal. an ill-tempered or grouchy person.

verb (used without object), crabbed, crab·bing.

Informal. to find fault; complain.

(of hawks) to claw each other.

verb (used with object), crabbed, crab·bing.

Informal. to find fault with.

to make ill-tempered or grouchy; embitter.

(of a hawk) to claw (another hawk).

Slang. to spoil.

Origin of crab

1350–1400; Middle English; back formation from crabbed

Related formscrab·ber, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for crabs

The term exoskeleton refers to the hard outer shell found on insects and certain animals like grasshoppers and crabs.
The Bionic Exoskeleton Helping Paraplegics Walk|Dr. Anand Veeravagu, MD|June 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It's amazing what a few old guys can do with a little bit of charm and a whole lot of crabs.
TV Does Sex Ed|Abby Haglage|October 19, 2012|DAILY BEAST
She was stranded and died on Nikumaroro Island, and her remains were carried off by crabs.
8 Crazy Conspiracy Theories About Aviator Amelia Earhart’s Demise|Jake Heller|March 21, 2012|DAILY BEAST
We had seen armfuls of crabs emerging from beneath the sand on the beach.
Our Visit From Irene|India Hicks|August 27, 2011|DAILY BEAST

The best way to enjoy the crabs is to play up their crackly edible shell with a batter coating.
What to Eat|Cookstr.com|June 30, 2009|DAILY BEAST
It is great sport to get the crabs excited, and to see them, scuttling around, ready to attack their foes.
Mpuke, Our Little African Cousin|Mary Hazelton Wade
Simmer the flakes of two crabs and one-half of a chopped onion in butter.
The Hotel St. Francis Cook Book|Victor Hirtzler
In those very early times, in the province of Bohol, there lived a creature called Mangla;1 he was king of the crabs.
Filipino Popular Tales|Dean S. Fansler
Mix with the contents of a can of crabs, bread crumbs or pounded crackers.
The Whitehouse Cookbook (1887)|Mrs. F.L. Gillette
Chief among these amphibious forms in the warmer seas are the Crabs of the genera Ocypode and Gelasimus and some of their allies.
The Life of Crustacea|William Thomas Calman

British Dictionary definitions for crabs (1 of 5)

crabs

/ (kræbz) /

noun

(sometimes functioning as singular) the lowest throw in a game of chance, esp two aces in dice

Word Origin for crabs

plural of crab 1

British Dictionary definitions for crabs (2 of 5)

Crab

/ (kræb) /

noun

the Crab the constellation Cancer, the fourth sign of the zodiac

British Dictionary definitions for crabs (3 of 5)

crab

/ (kræb) /

noun

any chiefly marine decapod crustacean of the genus Cancer and related genera (section Brachyura), having a broad flattened carapace covering the cephalothorax, beneath which is folded the abdomen. The first pair of limbs are modified as pincersSee also fiddler crab, soft-shell crab, pea crab, oyster crab Related adjective: cancroid

any of various similar or related arthropods, such as the hermit crab and horseshoe crab

short for crab louse

a manoeuvre in which an aircraft flies slightly into the crosswind to compensate for drift

a mechanical lifting device, esp the travelling hoist of a gantry crane

wrestling See Boston crab

catch a crab rowing to make a stroke in which the oar either misses the water or digs too deeply, causing the rower to fall backwards

verb crabs, crabbing or crabbed

(intr) to hunt or catch crabs

(tr) to fly (an aircraft) slightly into a crosswind to compensate for drift

(intr) nautical to move forwards with a slight sideways motion, as to overcome an offsetting current

(intr) to move sideways

Word Origin for crab

Old English crabba; related to Old Norse krabbi, Old High German krebiz crab, Dutch krabben to scratch

British Dictionary definitions for crabs (4 of 5)

crab

/ (kræb) informal /

verb crabs, crabbing or crabbed

(intr) to find fault; grumble

(tr) mainly US to spoil (esp in the phrase crab someone's act)

noun

an irritable person

draw the crabs Australian to attract unwelcome attention

Word Origin for crab

C16: probably back formation from crabbed

British Dictionary definitions for crabs (5 of 5)

crab

/ (kræb) /

noun

short for crab apple

Word Origin for crab

C15: perhaps of Scandinavian origin; compare Swedish skrabbe crab apple

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for crabs (1 of 2)

crab

n.1

crustacean, Old English crabba, from a general Germanic root (cf. Dutch krab, Old High German krebiz, German Krabbe, Old Norse krabbi "crab"), related to Low German krabben, Dutch krabelen "to scratch, claw," from PIE root *gerbh- "to scratch, carve" (see carve). The constellation name is attested in English from c.1000; the Crab Nebula (1868), however, is in Taurus, and is so called for its shape. French crabe (13c.) is from Dutch.

Word Origin and History for crabs (1 of 2)

crab

n.2

"fruit of the wild apple tree," c.1300, crabbe, perhaps from Scandinavian scrab, of obscure origin (cf. Swedish krabbäpple). The combination of "bad-tempered, combative" and "sour" in the two nouns crab naturally yielded a verb meaning of "to vex, irritate" (c.1400), later "to complain irritably, find fault" (c.1500). The noun meaning "sour person" is from 1570s.

crab

.css-1gxch3{color:#1a1a1a;font-size:18px;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;}noun

verb (used with object), crabbed, crab·bing.

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Definition for.css-ylq2vz{color:#1a1a1a;} crabs (2 of 3)

crab

noun

Origin of crab

Definition for crabs (3 of 3)

crab

noun

verb (used without object), crabbed, crab·bing.

verb (used with object), crabbed, crab·bing.

Origin of crab

Examples from the Web for crabs

British Dictionary definitions for crabs (1 of 5)

crabs

noun

Word Origin for crabs

British Dictionary definitions for crabs (2 of 5)

Crab

noun

British Dictionary definitions for crabs (3 of 5)

crab

noun

verb crabs, crabbing or crabbed

Word Origin for crab

British Dictionary definitions for crabs (4 of 5)

crab

verb crabs, crabbing or crabbed

noun

Word Origin for crab

British Dictionary definitions for crabs (5 of 5)

crab

noun

Word Origin for crab

Word Origin and History for crabs (1 of 2)

crab

Word Origin and History for crabs (1 of 2)

crab

noun

Definition for crabs (2 of 3)