crab

1
[ krab ]
See synonyms for: crabcrabbedcrabs on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. any decapod crustacean of the suborder Brachyura, having the eyes on short stalks and a short, broad, more or less flattened body, the abdomen being small and folded under the thorax.

  2. any of various other crustaceans, as the hermit crab, or other animals, as the horseshoe crab, resembling the true crabs.

  1. Crab,

    • Astronomy, Astrology. the zodiacal constellation or sign Cancer.

    • Astronomy. the Crab Nebula.

  2. any of various mechanical contrivances for hoisting or pulling.

  3. Aeronautics. the maneuver of crabbing.

  4. Informal. the crab louse.: See under louse (def. 1).

  5. crabs,

    • (used with a singular verb) a losing throw, as two aces, in the game of hazard.

verb (used without object),crabbed, crab·bing.
  1. to catch or attempt to catch crabs.

  2. to move sideways, diagonally, or obliquely, especially with short, abrupt bursts of speed; scuttle.

  1. Aeronautics. (of an aircraft) to head partly into the wind to compensate for drift.

  2. Nautical. to drift or advance with some movement sideways, especially when under tow.

verb (used with object),crabbed, crab·bing.
  1. to move (a vehicle or object) sideways, diagonally, or obliquely, especially with short, abrupt movements.

  2. Aeronautics. to head (an aircraft) partly into the wind to compensate for drift.

Idioms about crab

  1. catch a crab, to make a faulty stroke in rowing, so that the oar strikes the water forcibly on the backstroke.

Origin of crab

1
First recorded before 1000; Middle English crabbe, Old English crabba; cognate with Dutch krab, Old Norse krabbi; akin to German Krebs

Other words from crab

  • crablike, adjective

Words Nearby crab

Other definitions for crab (2 of 3)

crab2
[ krab ]

noun
  1. a crab apple fruit or tree.

Origin of crab

2
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English crabbe; perhaps special use of crab1

Other definitions for crab (3 of 3)

crab3
[ krab ]

noun
  1. Informal. an ill-tempered or grouchy person.

verb (used without object),crabbed, crab·bing.
  1. Informal. to find fault; complain.

  2. (of hawks) to claw each other.

verb (used with object),crabbed, crab·bing.
  1. Informal. to find fault with.

  2. to make ill-tempered or grouchy; embitter.

  1. (of a hawk) to claw (another hawk).

  2. Slang. to spoil.

Origin of crab

3
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English; back formation from crabbed

Other words from crab

  • crabber, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use crab in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for crab (1 of 4)

crab1

/ (kræb) /


noun
  1. any chiefly marine decapod crustacean of the genus Cancer and related genera (section Brachyura), having a broad flattened carapace covering the cephalothorax, beneath which is folded the abdomen. The first pair of limbs are modified as pincers: See also fiddler crab, soft-shell crab, pea crab, oyster crab Related adjective: cancroid

  2. any of various similar or related arthropods, such as the hermit crab and horseshoe crab

  1. short for crab louse

  2. a manoeuvre in which an aircraft flies slightly into the crosswind to compensate for drift

  3. a mechanical lifting device, esp the travelling hoist of a gantry crane

  4. wrestling See Boston crab

  5. catch a crab rowing to make a stroke in which the oar either misses the water or digs too deeply, causing the rower to fall backwards

verbcrabs, crabbing or crabbed
  1. (intr) to hunt or catch crabs

  2. (tr) to fly (an aircraft) slightly into a crosswind to compensate for drift

  1. (intr) nautical to move forwards with a slight sideways motion, as to overcome an offsetting current

  2. (intr) to move sideways

Origin of crab

1
Old English crabba; related to Old Norse krabbi, Old High German krebiz crab, Dutch krabben to scratch

British Dictionary definitions for crab (2 of 4)

crab2

/ (kræb) informal /


verbcrabs, crabbing or crabbed
  1. (intr) to find fault; grumble

  2. (tr) mainly US to spoil (esp in the phrase crab someone's act)

noun
  1. an irritable person

  2. draw the crabs Australian to attract unwelcome attention

Origin of crab

2
C16: probably back formation from crabbed

British Dictionary definitions for crab (3 of 4)

crab3

/ (kræb) /


noun
  1. short for crab apple

Origin of crab

3
C15: perhaps of Scandinavian origin; compare Swedish skrabbe crab apple

British Dictionary definitions for Crab (4 of 4)

Crab

/ (kræb) /


noun
  1. the Crab the constellation Cancer, the fourth sign of the zodiac

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