any large wading bird of the family Gruidae, characterized by long legs, bill, and neck and an elevated hind toe.
(not used scientifically) any of various similar birds of other families, as the great blue heron.
Machinery. a device for lifting and moving heavy weights in suspension.
any of various similar devices, as a horizontally swinging arm by a fireplace, used for suspending pots over the fire.
Movies, Television. a vehicle having a long boom on which a camera can be mounted for taking shots from high angles.
Nautical. any of a number of supports for a boat or spare spar on the deck or at the side of a vessel.
Astronomy. Crane, the constellation Grus.
to hoist, lower, or move by or as by a crane.
to stretch (the neck) as a crane does.
to stretch out one's neck, especially to see better.
to hesitate at danger, difficulty, etc.
(Harold) Hart, 1899–1932, U.S. poet.
Stephen, 1871–1900, U.S. novelist, poet, and short-story writer.
any large long-necked long-legged wading bird of the family Gruidae, inhabiting marshes and plains in most parts of the world except South America, New Zealand, and Indonesia: order Gruiformes See also demoiselle whooping crane
(not in ornithological use) any similar bird, such as a heron
a device for lifting and moving heavy objects, typically consisting of a moving boom, beam, or gantry from which lifting gear is suspended See also gantry
films a large trolley carrying a boom, on the end of which is mounted a camera
(tr) to lift or move (an object) by or as if by a crane
to stretch out (esp the neck), as to see over other people's heads
(intr) (of a horse) to pull up short before a jump
( Harold ) Hart. 1899–1932, US poet; author of The Bridge (1930)
Stephen. 1871–1900, US novelist and short-story writer, noted particularly for his novel The Red Badge of Courage (1895)
Walter. 1845–1915, British painter, illustrator of children's books, and designer of textiles and wallpaper
First recorded before 1000; Middle English; Old English cran; cognate with German Kran, Greek géranos
A crane is an elegant white bird with a very long neck. You're most likely to see cranes wading near shorelines and in marshy areas. There are fifteen species of cranes, and almost all of them are endangered. Cranes are known for their odd mating dances and for the fact that they typically mate for life. When you crane your neck, you stretch it in order to get a better view of something — like a crane might do. The tall machine also known as a crane is clearly named for the long-necked bird as well.
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Two diggers, as well as a crane that was lifting up concrete slabs was also there.
From BBC ● Jun. 30, 2026
"The fire service had to come and get my grandmother down with a crane," Estevez told AFP in the tiny two-roomed apartment that she, her husband and children have moved into on the first floor.
From Barron's ● Jun. 17, 2026
The women had worked at one of the factories in town, one as a welder, another as a crane operator, and lived in the apartments constructed for its workers since the 1980s.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026
Wages for crane operations supervisors, engineering project designers and metallurgical engineering jobs have increased nearly 8%, Payscale data show.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 10, 2026
It’s so tall that when I crane my head all the way back, I can’t see to the top of it.
From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy
Crane said in the UK, Europe, the US, China, and elsewhere, there have been "huge developments" in this direction.
From BBC ● May 28, 2026
King's lead for the project Dr Eleanor Crane said its use of Willow would "light a torch" for research to answer questions about the most important natural processes.
From BBC ● May 28, 2026
Certain established giants—Stephen Crane and Theodore Dreiser among them—earn Fiedler’s disparagement, usually for overemphasizing realism.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026
Crane is part of Three Mile Island, a shuttered nuclear plant in Pennsylvania.
From Barron's ● May 11, 2026
“Get back in there or get out,” Mr. Crane said.
From "Black Boy" by Richard Wright
There are 35 species, ranging from ravens to cranes, falcons to storks.
From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026
Parts of the eastern side of the building were still exposed when AFP visited, with cranes at the top.
From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026
Visitors to the nation’s capital are being met with cranes hanging over the White House and construction at the site of the demolished East Wing.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 2, 2026
Bulldozers, diggers and cranes can be used to shift three storeys of concrete, for instance, to find someone trapped, Selvakumaran says.
From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2026
“I was only trying to call her in cranes and the string broke! My husband will kill me if I do not catch her again. He is so hasty and such a keen falconer.”
From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White
Most of the home’s antiques are Spanish and Peruvian, with some French, Chinese and English pieces; one weighty armoire had to be craned in.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
A swarm of tourists craned their necks to see the instalment of the cross's upper arm, visible amid the scaffolding and workers who put finishing touches from their harnesses.
From Barron's ● Feb. 20, 2026
Tugging at kite strings in the field are a group of children, their necks craned towards the skies.
From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2025
During the final stretch of the Chicago race, they were leaning over barricades, necks craned, looking for their husbands flying by at a pace close to 4 minutes and 53 seconds per mile.
From Seattle Times ● May 12, 2024
Necks craned and people shuffled in their chairs.
From Each Little Bird That Sings by Deborah Wiles
As more blacked-out vehicles entered the area, the more excited the crowd grew, with several craning their necks to peek at the stars exiting their vehicles.
From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026
Dorr was inspired by his wife, Nell, a renowned photographer, who was tired of riding shotgun and craning her neck out the window to see where the asphalt ended.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 4, 2026
The man appeared alert, yelling and craning his head as he was hoisted into the vehicle.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 30, 2025
My head pain was quelled thanks to the drugs, but now my neck and back began to flare up, the previous day’s slouching and craning setting in.
From Slate ● Nov. 3, 2024
Taryn asked, craning her neck toward the snack table.
From "Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World" by Ashley Herring Blake
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
