crick

¹ American  

[krik] / krɪk /

noun

1. a sharp, painful spasm of the muscles, as of the neck or back.

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verb (used with object)

1. to give a crick or wrench to (the neck, back, etc.).

crick ² American  

[krik] / krɪk /

noun

Northern, North Midland, and Western U.S.

1. creek.

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Crick ³ American  

[krik] / krɪk /

noun

1. Francis Harry Compton, 1916–2004, English biophysicist: Nobel Prize in Medicine 1962.

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Crick ¹ British  

/ krɪk /

noun

1. Francis Harry Compton. 1916–2004, English molecular biologist: helped to discover the helical structure of DNA; Nobel prize for physiology or medicine shared with James Watson and Maurice Wilkins 1962

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crick ² British  

/ krɪk /

noun

1. a painful muscle spasm or cramp, esp in the neck or back

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verb

1. (tr) to cause a crick in (the neck, back, etc)

crick ³ British  

/ krɪk /

noun

1. a dialect word for creek

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Crick Scientific  

/ krĭk /

1. British biologist who with James D. Watson identified the structure of DNA in 1953. By analyzing the patterns cast by x-rays striking DNA molecules, they found that DNA has the structure of a double helix, consisting of two spirals linked together at the base, forming ladderlike rungs. For this work they shared the 1962 Nobel Prize for physiology or medicine with Maurice Wilkins.

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Etymology

Origin of crick

1400–50; late Middle English crikke, perhaps akin to crick ²

Example Sentences

He staggered sideways on his spindly legs, tripped over his own foot, and fell full-length into the crick.

From Literature

Nanuq opened his big mouth and made a popping sound as he cricked his neck.

From Literature

I awoke in the morning with a crick in my neck.

From Literature

It had been a stunning first half, a six-try epic that gave you a crick in your neck such was the flow from one end to the other.

From BBC

They sat in the porch swing, which cricked over the sound of the waves.

From Literature