crook

¹ American  

[krook] / krʊk /

noun

1. a bent or curved implement, piece, appendage, etc.; hook.

2. the hooked part of anything.

3. an instrument or implement having a bent or curved part, as a shepherd's staff hooked at one end or the crosier of a bishop or abbot.

4. a dishonest person, especially a sharper, swindler, or thief.

5. a bend, turn, or curve.

   a crook in the road.

6. the act of crooking or bending.

7. a pothook.

8. Also called shank.  a device on some musical wind instruments for changing the pitch, consisting of a piece of tubing inserted into the main tube.

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verb (used with object)

1. to bend; curve; make a crook in.

   He crooked a finger to get the waitperson's attention.

2. Slang.  to steal, cheat, or swindle.

   She crooked a ring from that shop.

verb (used without object)

1. to bend; curve.

   My little toe crooks to the side.

crook ² American  

[krook] / krʊk /

adjective

Australian.

1. sick or feeble.

2. ill-humored; angry.

3. out of order; functioning improperly.

4. unsatisfactory; disappointing.

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Crook ³ American  

[krook] / krʊk /

noun

1. George, 1829–90, U.S. general in Indian wars.

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crook British  

/ krʊk /

noun

1. a curved or hooked thing

2. a staff with a hooked end, such as a bishop's crosier or shepherd's staff

3. a turn or curve; bend

4. informal  a dishonest person, esp a swindler or thief

5. the act or an instance of crooking or bending

6. Also called: shank.  a piece of tubing added to a brass instrument in order to obtain a lower harmonic series

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verb

1. to bend or curve or cause to bend or curve

adjective

1. informal

   1. ill

   2. of poor quality

   3. unpleasant; bad

2. informal  to lose one's temper

3. informal  to rebuke or upbraid

crook Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing crook

• by hook or crook

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Etymology

Origin of crook¹

First recorded in 1125–75; Middle English crok, crouk, from Old Norse krōkr “hook, barb, corner”

Origin of crook¹

First recorded in 1875–80; perhaps alteration of cronk

Example Sentences

The innocent-faced O’Connor excels at crooks and suckers and fittingly, his Jud describes himself as “young, dumb and full of Christ.”

From Los Angeles Times

Cooper had heard some police in Mexico were crooked, but he never imagined the government would ignore the takeover of a gold mine.

From Los Angeles Times

Hemlock is a small town located in the crook of the Michigan mitten, between the thumb and the fingers.

From Barron's

From a leg-stump line, the ball appeared to then move in the air in the opposite direction, past Cook's crooked grope to kiss the top of off stump.

From BBC

Sliwa, apparently relishing his 15 minutes of fame, called Adams a “crook” and said he himself had been offered $10 million to drop out of the race by unidentified billionaires.

From Salon

Related Words

• racketeer
• robber
• rogue
• scoundrel
• swindler
• villain