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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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

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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

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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

Nutria hunters can got to Nutria.com for a number of recipes for cooking the rodent, including a crock pot preparation, nutria chili and stuffed nutria hindquarters.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 27, 2025

But just as different habitats have unique combinations of plants and animals, so too did every crock and jar have its own distinct microbial world because of minor differences in preparation or ingredients.

From Salon • Apr. 17, 2024

I keep one crock of utensils on the counter, all others live in drawers.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 12, 2024

“It seems that the crock with Mrs. Kabakoff’s pilgrim cider has fallen from the top shelf. Would you please run and bring Mr. Vendleri?”

From "The Wednesday Wars" by Gary D. Schmidt