crew

[ kroo ]

/ kru /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR crew ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a group of persons involved in a particular kind of work or working together: the crew of a train; a wrecking crew.

Nautical.

the people who sail or operate a ship or boat.
the common sailors of a ship's company.
a particular gang of a ship's company.

the people who fly or operate an aircraft or spacecraft.

the team that rows a racing shell: varsity crew.

the sport of racing with racing shells: He went out for crew in his freshman year.

a company; crowd: He and his crew of friends filled the room.

any force or band of armed men.

verb (used with object)

to serve as a member of a crew on (a ship, aircraft, etc.).

to obtain or employ a crew for (a ship, aircraft, etc.).

verb (used without object)

to serve as a member of a crew.

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What does “vacillate” mean?

to waver in mind or opinion; be indecisive or irresolute.

to cause to be empty or unoccupied.

to assent tacitly; agree; consent.

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Origin of crew

1425–75; late Middle English crewe augmentation, hence reinforcements, body of soldiers <Middle French creue, literally, increase, noun use of feminine of Old French creu, past participle of creistre to grow <Latin crēscere;see crescent

grammar notes for crew

See collective noun.

OTHER WORDS FROM crew

crewless, adjective

Words nearby crew

crevalle jack, crevasse, Creve Coeur, crevice, crevicular, crew, crew chief, crew cut, Crewe, crewed, crewel

Definition for crew (2 of 2)

crew²

[ kroo ]

/ kru /

verb

a simple past tense of crow².

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for crew

The brokers then scout out potential “crew members” who can earn substantial discounts for working the journey.
Ghost Ships of the Mediterranean|Barbie Latza Nadeau|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Carlisle writes that the Air Force would want a crew ratio of 10 to one for each drone orbit during normal everyday operations.
Exclusive: U.S. Drone Fleet at ‘Breaking Point,’ Air Force Says|Dave Majumdar|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Crew members had to cut through the ice on the streets to get shots.
Speed Read: The Juiciest Bits From the History of ‘Purple Rain’|Jennie Yabroff|January 1, 2015|DAILY BEAST
And its crew had fought so hard for a Christmastime miracle that was not to be.
'Please Don't Die!': The Frantic Battle to Save Murdered Cops|Michael Daly|December 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST

We also knew that once we hit the road, we would be paying our band and crew on a weekly basis.
How Much Money Does a Band Really Make on Tour?|Jack Conte|December 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But since the crew was emphatically ordered to leave, a respirator might not provide much safety.
The Status Civilization|Robert Sheckley
The young midshipmen called the crew around them, after Needham took the helm.
The Three Midshipmen|W.H.G. Kingston
The German lived constantly under the scrutiny of one or another of the crew.
First on the Moon|Jeff Sutton
Hardly had Orde's first crew passed, however, when Heinzman's men began to break down the logs into the drive.
The Riverman|Stewart Edward White
The coxswain waved his megaphone at our friends in a friendly fashion, and then gave his attention to his crew.
The Eight-Oared Victors|Lester Chadwick

British Dictionary definitions for crew (1 of 2)

crew¹

/ (kruː) /

noun (sometimes functioning as plural)

the men who man a ship, boat, aircraft, etc

nautical a group of people assigned to a particular job or type of work

informal a gang, company, or crowd

verb

to serve on (a ship) as a member of the crew

Word Origin for crew

C15 crue (military) reinforcement, from Old French creue augmentation, from Old French creistre to increase, from Latin crescere

British Dictionary definitions for crew (2 of 2)

crew²

/ (kruː) /

verb

a past tense of crow 2

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

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crew