crew

¹

[ kroo ]

noun

1. a group of persons involved in a particular kind of work or working together:

   the crew of a train;

   a wrecking crew.

2. Nautical.
   1. the people who sail or operate a ship or boat.
   2. the common sailors of a ship's company.
   3. a particular gang of a ship's company.
3. the people who fly or operate an aircraft or spacecraft.
4. the team that rows a racing shell:

   varsity crew.

5. the sport of racing with racing shells:

   He went out for crew in his freshman year.

6. a company; crowd:

   He and his crew of friends filled the room.

7. any force or band of armed men.

verb (used with object)

1. to serve as a member of a crew on (a ship, aircraft, etc.).
2. to obtain or employ a crew for (a ship, aircraft, etc.).

verb (used without object)

1. to serve as a member of a crew.

crew

²

[ kroo ]

verb

1. a simple past tense of crow ².

crew

¹

/ kruː /

verb

1. a past tense of crow 2

crew

²

/ kruː /

noun

1. the men who man a ship, boat, aircraft, etc
2. nautical a group of people assigned to a particular job or type of work
3. informal.
   a gang, company, or crowd

verb

1. to serve on (a ship) as a member of the crew

Grammar Note

See collective noun.

Other Words From

• crewless adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of crew¹

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English crewe “augmentation,” hence “reinforcements, body of soldiers,” from Middle French creue, literally, “an increase,” noun use of feminine of Old French creu “grown, increased,” past participle of creistre “to grow,” from Latin crēscere; crescent

Word History and Origins

Origin of crew¹

C15 crue (military) reinforcement, from Old French creue augmentation, from Old French creistre to increase, from Latin crescere

Example Sentences

Many of the cast and crew had connections to the real-life people in the story.

From Los Angeles Times

Amid explosions and darkened skies, the crew at Mountain High ski resort jumped into action, firing up a hundred snow cannons to douse the flames with water.

From Los Angeles Times

The corporation has thanked all the cast and crew, while stressing it remained "fully committed" to TV production in the West Midlands.

From BBC

Normally sweat and urine is recycled into drinking water but a fault on the ISS means the crew must currently store urine instead.

From BBC

Crew use two treadmills that they must strap into to stop themselves floating away, and a cycle ergometer for endurance training.

From BBC

Related Words

• band
• company
• corps
• crowd
• gang
• squad
• team
• troop