crow

[ kroh ]

/ kroʊ /

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noun

any of several large oscine birds of the genus Corvus, of the family Corvidae, having a long, stout bill, lustrous black plumage, and a wedge-shaped tail, as the common C. brachyrhynchos, of North America.

any of several other birds of the family Corvidae.

any of various similar birds of other families.

Crow, Astronomy. the constellation Corvus.

crowbar (def. 1).

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about crow

as the crow flies, in a straight line; by the most direct route: The next town is thirty miles from here, as the crow flies.

eat crow, Informal. to be forced to admit to having made a mistake, as by retracting an emphatic statement; suffer humiliation: His prediction was completely wrong, and he had to eat crow.

have a crow to pick / pluck with someone, Midland and Southern U.S. to have a reason to disagree or argue with someone.

Origin of crow

First recorded before 900; Middle English crowe, Old English crāwe, crāwa; cognate with Old High German krāwa; akin to Dutch kraai, German Krähe

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH crow

craw, crow

Words nearby crow

croupy, crouse, croustade, croûte, crouton, crow, crowbait, crowbar, crowberry, crow-bill, crow blackbird

Other definitions for crow (2 of 3)

crow²

[ kroh ]

/ kroʊ /

verb (used without object), crowed or, for 1, (especially British), crew;crowed;crow·ing.

to utter the characteristic cry of a rooster.

to gloat, boast, or exult (often followed by over).

to utter an inarticulate cry of pleasure, as an infant does.

noun

the characteristic cry of a rooster.

an inarticulate cry of pleasure.

OTHER WORDS FOR crow

2 vaunt, brag.

See synonyms for crow on Thesaurus.com

Origin of crow

First recorded before 1000; Middle English crouen, crowen, Old English crāwan; cognate with Dutch kraaien, German krähen; see crow¹

OTHER WORDS FROM crow

crower, nouncrow·ing·ly, adverb

Other definitions for crow (3 of 3)

Crow

[ kroh ]

/ kroʊ /

noun

a member of a Siouan people of eastern Montana.

a Siouan language closely related to Hidatsa.

Origin of Crow

1795–1805; translation of North American French (gens des) Corbeaux Raven (people), literal translation of Crow apsá˙loke a Crow Indian

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use crow in a sentence

Outside, a flock of crows takes off in unison from the branches of an ancient oak.
Near the end of life, my hospice patient had a ghostly visitor who altered his view of the world|Scott Janssen|January 2, 2021|Washington Post
Almost all young mammals play, as do birds like parrots and crows.
Why It Pays to Play Around - Issue 94: Evolving|Andreas Wagner|December 16, 2020|Nautilus
Neuroscientists have become increasingly interested in birds like the crow, which appear to be able to think creatively in ways that mirror human cognition.
Person, Woman, Man, Camera, TV - Issue 93: Forerunners|Adithya Rajagopalan|December 2, 2020|Nautilus
It’s the first time that researchers have observed this behavior in snakes, though animals like crows or raccoons eat some toads in a similar fashion.
This snake rips a hole in living toads’ stomachs to feast on their organs|Erin Garcia de Jesus|October 2, 2020|Science News

Some sponsorship contracts are being sold for anything between five to 10 times lower than usual, Crow said.
‘We are permanently in beta’: European sports broadcasting is still in a coronavirus-forced state of reinvention|Lara O'Reilly|September 15, 2020|Digiday
This mass incarceration is destroying the Black community -- it is, as Michelle Alexander writes, the New Jim Crow.
We Need More Ferguson-style Grand Juries|Kaimipono Wenger|November 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Thus, during Jim Crow, black men were routinely hanged, castrated, and lynched for alleged sexual assaults against white women.
No Wonder Cosby's Keeping Quiet: He Could Still Be Prosecuted|Jay Michaelson|November 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Each working in its own way was essential to ending Jim Crow in the South.
Honoring The Late John Doar, A Nearly Forgotten Hero Of The Civil Rights Era|Gary May|November 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Slowly, still falteringly but inexorably, Jim Crow justice was disappearing in the South.
Honoring The Late John Doar, A Nearly Forgotten Hero Of The Civil Rights Era|Gary May|November 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“It tasted like a crow enchilada,” Morrissey said, as he literally ate his words.
The Chicago Bulls’ Joakim Noah Sounds Off on Weed, the Weather, and Winning|Bill Schulz|October 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Not much use as the high crests hid the intervening hinterland from view, even from the crow's nests.
Gallipoli Diary, Volume I|Ian Hamilton
The cat had been about to spring at Grandfather Mole again when Mr. Crow spoke to her.
The Tale of Grandfather Mole|Arthur Scott Bailey
And he quite agreed with old Mr. Crow, who had come hurrying up to see what was going on.
The Tale of Grandfather Mole|Arthur Scott Bailey
Mr. Crow was rocking back and forth on his perch, for a joke—on anybody except himself—always delighted him.
The Tale of Grandfather Mole|Arthur Scott Bailey
Farmer Green's cat had never liked Mr. Crow, for no particular reason.
The Tale of Grandfather Mole|Arthur Scott Bailey

British Dictionary definitions for crow (1 of 3)

crow¹

/ (krəʊ) /

noun

any large gregarious songbird of the genus Corvus, esp C. corone (the carrion crow) of Europe and Asia: family Corvidae . Other species are the raven, rook, and jackdaw and all have a heavy bill, glossy black plumage, and rounded wingsSee also carrion crow Related adjective: corvine

any of various other corvine birds, such as the jay, magpie, and nutcracker

any of various similar birds of other families

offensive an old or ugly woman

short for crowbar

as the crow flies as directly as possible

eat crow US and Canadian informal to be forced to do something humiliating

stone the crows stone

Word Origin for crow

Old English crāwa; related to Old Norse krāka, Old High German krāia, Dutch kraai

British Dictionary definitions for crow (2 of 3)

crow²

/ (krəʊ) /

verb (intr)

(past tense crowed or crew) to utter a shrill squawking sound, as a cock

(often foll by over) to boast one's superiority

(esp of babies) to utter cries of pleasure

noun

the act or an instance of crowing

Derived forms of crow

crower, nouncrowingly, adverb

Word Origin for crow

Old English crāwan; related to Old High German krāen, Dutch kraaien

British Dictionary definitions for crow (3 of 3)

Crow

/ (krəʊ) /

noun

plural Crows or Crow a member of a Native American people living in E Montana

the language of this people, belonging to the Siouan family

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

Other Idioms and Phrases with crow

crow

In addition to the idiom beginning with crow

crown jewels
crow over

also see:

as the crow flies
eat crow

crow

Idioms about crow

Origin of crow

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH crow

Words nearby crow

Other definitions for crow (2 of 3)

OTHER WORDS FOR crow

Origin of crow

OTHER WORDS FROM crow

Other definitions for crow (3 of 3)

Origin of Crow

Words related to crow

How to use crow in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for crow (1 of 3)

Word Origin for crow

British Dictionary definitions for crow (2 of 3)

Derived forms of crow

Word Origin for crow

British Dictionary definitions for crow (3 of 3)

Other Idioms and Phrases with crow