crook

1 of 3

verb

crooked; crooking; crooks

crook

2 of 3

noun

1
: an implement having a bent or hooked form: such as
a
b(1)
: a shepherd's staff
2
: a part of something that is hook-shaped, curved, or bent
the crook of an umbrella handle
3
: bend, curve
4
: a person who engages in fraudulent or criminal practices

crook

3 of 3

adjective

Australia and New Zealand
: not right:
c
: irritable, angry
used especially in the phrase go crook
d
: ill, unwell

Examples of crook in a Sentence

Verb He crooked his finger at us and led us to the table. the road suddenly crooked to the left Noun He thinks politicians are just a bunch of crooks. the crook of his arm The squirrel sat in the crook of the tree. the crook of the cane
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
This is the best approach for stars whose characters have crooked, chipped or missing teeth. Gary Baum, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Aug. 2024 Had the train recently hosted the cast of Cirque du Soleil, perhaps, who insisted on descending head first, arms outstretched, after crooking one knee over the top rung? Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 4 May 2020
Noun
Cyber crooks make good money by targeting checking accounts and bank accounts. Susan Tompor, USA TODAY, 31 Oct. 2024 In their native home in Brazil, Christmas cacti grow as epiphytes in the crooks of tree branches.1 For successful growth indoors, choose a well-draining potting soil containing perlite and a container with good drainage holes. Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 26 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for crook 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English crok, from Old Norse krōkr hook

Adjective

probably short for crooked

First Known Use

Verb

12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1898, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of crook was in the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near crook

Cite this Entry

“Crook.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crook. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

crook

1 of 2 verb

crook

2 of 2 noun
1
: a shepherd's staff with one end curved into a hook
2
: a dishonest person (as a thief or swindler)
3
: a curved or hooked part of a thing : bend

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