Crab

[krab] /kræb/

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.
3.
(initial capital letter) Astronomy, Astrology. the zodiacal constellation or sign Cancer.
4.
(initial capital letter) Astronomy. the Crab Nebula.
5.
any of various mechanical contrivances for hoisting or pulling.
6.
Aeronautics. the maneuver of crabbing.
7.
Informal. the crab louse.
See under (def 1).
8.
crabs.

verb (used without object), crabbed, crabbing.
9.
to catch or attempt to catch crabs.
10.
to move sideways, diagonally, or obliquely, especially with short, abrupt bursts of speed; scuttle.
11.
Aeronautics. (of an aircraft) to head partly into the wind to compensate for drift.
12.
Nautical. to drift or advance with some movement sideways, especially when under tow.
verb (used with object), crabbed, crabbing.
13.
to move (a vehicle or object) sideways, diagonally, or obliquely, especially with short, abrupt movements.
14.
Aeronautics. to head (an aircraft) partly into the wind to compensate for drift.
Idioms
15.
catch a crab, to make a faulty stroke in rowing, so that the oar strikes the water forcibly on the backstroke.
[krab] /kræb/
noun
1.
a fruit or tree.
[krab] /kræb/
noun
1.
Informal. an ill-tempered or grouchy person.
verb (used without object), crabbed, crabbing.
2.
Informal. to find fault; complain.
3.
(of hawks) to claw each other.
verb (used with object), crabbed, crabbing.
4.
Informal. to find fault with.
5.
to make ill-tempered or grouchy; embitter.
6.
(of a hawk) to claw (another hawk).
7.
Slang. to spoil.
/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
3.
short for crab louse
4.
a manoeuvre in which an aircraft flies slightly into the crosswind to compensate for drift
5.
a mechanical lifting device, esp the travelling hoist of a gantry crane
6.
(wrestling) See Boston crab
7.
(rowing) catch a crab, to make a stroke in which the oar either misses the water or digs too deeply, causing the rower to fall backwards
verb crabs, crabbing, crabbed
8.
(intransitive) to hunt or catch crabs
9.
(transitive) to fly (an aircraft) slightly into a crosswind to compensate for drift
10.
(intransitive) (nautical) to move forwards with a slight sideways motion, as to overcome an offsetting current
11.
(intransitive) to move sideways
/kræb/
verb crabs, crabbing, crabbed
1.
(intransitive) to find fault; grumble
2.
(transitive) (mainly US) to spoil (esp in the phrase crab someone’s act)
noun
3.
an irritable person
4.
(Austral) draw the crabs, to attract unwelcome attention
/kræb/
noun
1.
short for crab apple
/kræb/
noun
1.
the Crab, the constellation Cancer, the fourth sign of the zodiac
n.

crustacean, Old English crabba, from a general Germanic root (cf. Dutch krab, Old High German krebiz, German Krabbe, Old Norse krabbi “crab”), related to Low German krabben, Dutch krabelen “to scratch, claw,” from PIE root *gerbh- “to scratch, carve” (see carve). The constellation name is attested in English from c.1000; the Crab Nebula (1868), however, is in Taurus, and is so called for its shape. French crabe (13c.) is from Dutch.

“fruit of the wild apple tree,” c.1300, crabbe, perhaps from Scandinavian scrab, of obscure origin (cf. Swedish krabbäpple). The combination of “bad-tempered, combative” and “sour” in the two nouns crab naturally yielded a verb meaning of “to vex, irritate” (c.1400), later “to complain irritably, find fault” (c.1500). The noun meaning “sour person” is from 1570s.

noun

verb