cruise

¹

[krooz]

verb (used without object)

cruised, cruising 

1. to sail about on a pleasure trip.

2. to sail about, as a warship patrolling a body of water.

3. to travel about without a particular purpose or destination.

4. to fly, drive, or sail at a constant speed that permits maximum operating efficiency for sustained travel.

5. to travel at a moderately fast, easily controllable speed.

   cruising along the highway enjoying the scenery.

6. to travel about slowly, looking for customers or for something demanding attention.

   Taxis and police cars cruise in the downtown area.

7. to go or travel (often followed byover ).

   Let's cruise over to my house after the concert.

8. Informal.,  to go about on the streets or in public areas in search of a sexual partner.

verb (used with object)

cruised, cruising 

1. to cruise in (a specified area).

   patrol cars cruising the neighborhood; to cruise the Caribbean.

2. Informal.

   1. to move slowly through or visit (a street, park, bar, etc.) in search of a sexual partner.

   2. to make sexual overtures to; attempt to arouse the sexual interest of.

3. to inspect (a tract of forest) for the purpose of estimating lumber potential.

noun

1. the act of cruising.

2. a pleasure voyage on a ship, usually with stops at various ports.

Cruise

²

[krooz]

noun

1. Tom Thomas Cruise Mapother, 4th, born 1962, U.S. film actor.

cruise

¹

/ kruːz /

verb

1. (intr) to make a trip by sea in a liner for pleasure, usually calling at a number of ports

2. to sail or travel over (a body of water) for pleasure in a yacht, cruiser, etc

3. (intr) to search for enemy vessels in a warship

4. (intr) (of a vehicle, aircraft, or vessel) to travel at a moderate and efficient speed

5. informal,  (intr) to search the streets or other public places for a sexual partner

noun

1. an act or instance of cruising, esp a trip by sea

Cruise

²

/ kruːz /

noun

1. Tom. original name Thomas Cruise Mapother. born 1962, US film actor; his films include Risky Business (1983), Top Gun (1986), Jerry Maguire (1989), Eyes Wide Shut (1999), War of the Worlds (2005), and Valkyrie (2008)

Other Word Forms

• cruisingly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of cruise¹

1645–55; < Dutch kruisen to cross, cruise, derivative of kruis cross

Word History and Origins

Origin of cruise¹

C17: from Dutch kruisen to cross, from cruis _cross ; related to French croiser to cross, cruise, Spanish cruzar, German kreuzen

Example Sentences

The throbbing “On the Prowl” sounds at first like the story of a guy hitting the streets looking for a good time but upon closer listening seems more like a serial killer cruising for victims.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Tomahawks—the longest-range cruise missiles in the U.S. arsenal—are vital to the war effort.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The Russian Black Sea Fleet said on Monday that the submarine, part of a group of submarines that carry Kalibr cruise missiles, was conducting a "scheduled inter-fleet transit".

Read more on BBC

At any given moment, scores of police squads are out across the city, rushing to emergency calls for help or cruising around in search of criminal behavior.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

It has also displayed Russia’s willingness to use purported hypersonic cruise missiles, which the West currently doesn’t have adequate defenses for.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• coast 
• drift 
• go 
• meander 
• navigate 
• travel