crock

¹ American  

[krok] / krɒk /

noun

1. an earthenware pot, jar, or other container.

2. a fragment of earthenware; potsherd.

3. Slang. euphemistic shortening of crock of shit.

---

crock ² American  

[krok] / krɒk /

noun

1. a person or thing that is old, decrepit, or broken-down.

2. Slang. a person who complains about or insists on being treated for an imagined illness.

3. an old ewe.

4. an old worn-out horse.

---

verb (used with object)

1. British Slang. to disable or injure.

crock ³ American  

[krok] / krɒk /

noun

1. British Dialect. soot; smut.

2. excess surface dye from imperfectly dyed cloth.

---

verb (used with object)

1. British Dialect. to soil with soot.

verb (used without object)

1. (of cloth) to give off excess surface dye when rubbed.

crock ¹ British  

/ krɒk /

noun

1. dialect soot or smut

2. colour that rubs off fabric

---

verb

1. dialect (tr) to soil with or as if with soot

2. (intr) (of a dyed fabric) to release colour when rubbed, as a result of imperfect dyeing

crock ² British  

/ krɒk /

noun

1. an earthen pot, jar, etc

2. a piece of broken earthenware

3. Also: crock of shit.  informal a quantity or source of lies or nonsense

---

crock ³ British  

/ krɒk /

noun

1. slang a person or thing, such as a car, that is old or decrepit (esp in the phrase old crock )

2. an old broken-down horse or ewe

---

verb

1. slang to become or cause to become weak or disabled

Etymology

Origin of crock¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English crokke, Old English croc(c), crocca “pot”; cognate with Old Norse krukka “jug”

Origin of crock²

First recorded in 1520–30; Middle English crok “old ewe,” perhaps akin to crack (verb) and obsolete crack “whore”; compare Low German krakke “broken-down horse”

Origin of crock³

First recorded in 1650–60; origin uncertain

Example Sentences

So when these master-of-the-universe types say they can function on four, five hours, it’s a complete crock.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 5, 2026

She brought it to the event in an electric crock pot.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 5, 2025

For some people, it’s “go big or go home,” with feasts complete with grills, crock pots and warming trays.

From Washington Times • Sep. 21, 2023

In my own kitchen, I decided to ditch my utensil crock and moved all my spatulas, wooden spoons and tongs to a drawer to regain precious counter space.

From Salon • Apr. 6, 2023

John Faa poured little glasses of jenniver from a stone crock for himself and Farder Coram, and wine for Lyra.

From "The Golden Compass" by Philip Pullman