51Թ

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View synonyms for

crook

1

[ krook ]

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. 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.


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

[ krook ]

adjective

Australian.
  1. sick or feeble.
  2. ill-humored; angry.
  3. out of order; functioning improperly.

Crook

3

[ krook ]

noun

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

crook

/ ʊ /

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 calledshank a piece of tubing added to a brass instrument in order to obtain a lower harmonic series
“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

verb

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

adjective

  1. informal.
    1. ill
    2. of poor quality
    3. unpleasant; bad
  2. go crook or go off crook informal.
    to lose one's temper
  3. go crook at or go crook on informal.
    to rebuke or upbraid
“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
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of crook1

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

Origin of crook2

First recorded in 1875–80; perhaps alteration of cronk
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of crook1

C12: from Old Norse krokr hook; related to Swedish krok, Danish krog hook, Old High German hooked tool
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Idioms and Phrases

  • by hook or crook
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

He expressed regret that his son Marc-Alexandre Boyer - also a defendant - had grown up surrounded by "thieves" and "crooks" who had led him to make the wrong life choices.

From

It’s not easy to make a musical about a crook with a volatile temper, an unslakable thirst for booze and a record of fumbled heists.

From

Is it a straight or crooked line from Reagan to Donald Trump?

From

In a post on Truth Social on Monday, Trump called James a "wacky crook".

From

“This is me doing a full smile right now,” he says with a crooked smile and his right eye wider than his left.

From

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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.

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