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a structure consisting essentially of an upright and a transverse piece, used to execute persons in ancient times.
any object, figure, or mark resembling a cross, as two intersecting lines.
a mark resembling a cross, usually an X, made instead of a signature by a person unable to write.
the Cross, the cross upon which Jesus died.
a figure of the Cross as a Christian emblem, badge, etc.
the Cross as the symbol of Christianity.
a small cross with a human figure attached to it, as a representation of Jesus crucified; crucifix.
a sign made with the right hand by tracing the figure of a cross in the air or by touching the foreheard, chest, and shoulders, as an act of devotion.
a structure or monument in the form of a cross, set up for prayer, as a memorial, etc.
any of various conventional representations or modifications of the Christian emblem used symbolically or for ornament, as in heraldry or art:
a Latin cross; a Maltese cross.
the crucifixion of Jesus as the culmination of His redemptive mission.
any suffering endured for Jesus’ sake.
the teaching of redemption gained by Jesus’ death.
the Christian religion, or those who accept it; Christianity; Christendom.
an opposition; thwarting; frustration.
any misfortune; trouble.
a crossing of animals or plants; a mixing of breeds.
an animal, plant, breed, etc., produced by crossing; crossbreed.
a person or thing that is intermediate in character between two others.
Boxing. a punch thrown across and over the lead of an opponent.
Older Slang. a contest the result of which is dishonestly arranged beforehand: Many of the onlookers, especially some who had bet heavily on Taylor, complained loudly that the fight was a “damnable cross.”.
a crossing.
a place of crossing.
Plumbing. a four-way joint or connection.
Theater. an actor’s movement from one area of a stage to another.
Also called cross-trade. Stock Exchange. an arrangement for the simultaneous sale and purchase of a block of stock handled by a single broker.
Machinery, spider (def 6b).
(initial capital letter) Astronomy, Southern Cross.
to move, pass, or extend from one side to the other side of (a street, river, etc.).
Synonyms: traverse, span, bridge.
to put or draw (a line, lines, etc.) across.
to cancel by marking with a cross or with a line or lines (often followed by off or out).
to mark with a cross.
to lie or pass across; intersect.
to meet and pass.
to transport across something.
to assist or guide (a person) across a street or intersection:
The guard crossed the child at the traffic light.
to place in the form of a cross or crosswise.
Biology. to cause (members of different genera, species, breeds, varieties, or the like) to interbreed.
to oppose openly; thwart; frustrate.
Synonyms: baffle, foil; contradict.
Antonyms: aid, assist, help.
Slang. to betray; double-cross.
to make the sign of a cross upon or over, as in devotion:
to cross oneself.
Nautical. to set (a yard) in proper position on a mast.
Obsolete. to confront in a hostile manner.
to lie or be athwart; intersect.
to move, pass, or extend from one side or place to another:
Cross at the intersection.
to meet and pass.
to interbreed.
Theater. to move from one side of the stage to the other, especially by passing downstage of another actor.
angry and annoyed; ill-humored; snappish:
Don’t be cross with me.
Synonyms: petulant, fractious, irascible, waspish, crabbed, churlish, sulky, cantankerous, cranky, ill-tempered, impatient, irritable, fretful, touchy, testy.
Antonyms: good-natured, good-humored; agreeable.
lying or passing crosswise or across each other; athwart; transverse:
cross timbers.
involving a reciprocal action, interchange, or the like:
a cross-endorsement of political candidates; cross-marketing of related services.
contrary; opposite:
They were at cross purposes with each other.
adverse; unfavorable.
crossbred; hybrid.
cross over,

Biology. (of a chromosome segment) to undergo crossing over.
to switch allegiance, as from one political party to another.
to change successfully from one field of endeavor, genre, etc., to another:
to cross over from jazz to rock.
to die; pass away.

Also, cross over to the other side.
cross up,

to change arrangements made with; deceive:
He crossed me up after we had agreed to tell the police the same story.
to confuse:
I was supposed to meet him at the station, but got crossed up.

bear one’s cross, to accept trials or troubles patiently.
cross one’s heart. heart (def 24).
cross one’s mind. mind (def 37).
cross one’s path. path (def 7).
cross someone’s palm (with silver), to give money to, especially in payment for a service:
I shall tell your fortune, but you must first cross my palm with silver.
cross the line. line1 (def 68).
on the cross, Older Slang. in a dishonest manner; illegally:
Her elegant clothes and those two splendid rings had been acquired on the cross.
take the cross, to make the vows of a crusader.
Wilbur Lucius, 1862–1948, U.S. educator: governor of Connecticut 1931–39.
a combining form of cross.
Contemporary Examples

With his crew-cut close, receding blond hair and stoic face, he looks like a cross between Daniel Craig and Vladimir Putin.
Microsoft’s Mr. Fun Peter Lauria December 4, 2010

It was known in this school that you could cross lines all the time and absolutely nothing would happen.
Horace Mann Abuse Stories Pile Up Jesse Ellison June 8, 2012

Police say they are also trying to identify the shop that may have sold the cross to the killer.
Clues Emerge in Search for Jessica Ridgeway’s Killer Christine Pelisek October 19, 2012

In classical Arabic, the word became julab, only to cross over into Latin as julapium.
The Storied Origins of the Classic Mint Julep Dane Huckelbridge May 2, 2014

That would seem to me to cross an obvious line, no matter how well or poorly it’s done.
More on Propaganda and Art, and the Well Bought Turn Michael Tomasky December 13, 2012

Historical Examples

We happened then to cross the street, and the traffic prevented us from speaking.
The Moon and Sixpence W. Somerset Maugham

There was now but “one wide river to cross,” and the cars rolled on to the bridge.
Harriet, The Moses of Her People Sarah H. Bradford

Charlie boy, try to tell Mary, where was he when the cross girl got him?
Marjorie Dean Pauline Lester

The legions which she sends forth are armed, not with the sword, but with the cross.
United States Presidents’ Inaugural Speeches Various

Nurse says she is a naughty, cross woman, and I don’t love her.
It May Be True Volume 1 of 3 Mrs. Wood

noun
a structure or symbol consisting essentially of two intersecting lines or pieces at right angles to one another
a wooden structure used as a means of execution, consisting of an upright post with a transverse piece to which people were nailed or tied
a representation of the Cross used as an emblem of Christianity or as a reminder of Christ’s death
any mark or shape consisting of two intersecting lines, esp such a symbol (×) used as a signature, point of intersection, error mark, etc
a sign representing the Cross made either by tracing a figure in the air or by touching the forehead, breast, and either shoulder in turn
any conventional variation of the Christian symbol, used emblematically, decoratively, or heraldically, such as a Maltese, tau, or Greek cross
(heraldry) any of several charges in which one line crosses or joins another at right angles
a cruciform emblem awarded to indicate membership of an order or as a decoration for distinguished service
(sometimes capital) Christianity or Christendom, esp as contrasted with non-Christian religions: Cross and Crescent
the place in a town or village where a cross has been set up
a pipe fitting, in the form of a cross, for connecting four pipes
(biology)

the process of crossing; hybridization
an individual produced as a result of this process

a mixture of two qualities or types: he’s a cross between a dictator and a saint
an opposition, hindrance, or misfortune; affliction (esp in the phrase bear one’s cross)
(slang) a match or game in which the outcome has been rigged
(slang) a fraud or swindle
(boxing) a straight punch delivered from the side, esp with the right hand
(football) the act or an instance of kicking or passing the ball from a wing to the middle of the field
on the cross

diagonally
(slang) dishonestly

verb
(sometimes foll by over) to move or go across (something); traverse or intersect: we crossed the road

to meet and pass: the two trains crossed
(of each of two letters in the post) to be dispatched before receipt of the other

(transitive; usually foll by out, off, or through) to cancel with a cross or with lines; delete
(transitive) to place or put in a form resembling a cross: to cross one’s legs
(transitive) to mark with a cross or crosses
(transitive) (Brit) to draw two parallel lines across the face of (a cheque) and so make it payable only into a bank account
(transitive)

to trace the form of the Cross, usually with the thumb or index finger upon (someone or something) in token of blessing
to make the sign of the Cross upon (oneself)

(intransitive) (of telephone lines) to interfere with each other so that three or perhaps four callers are connected together at one time
to cause fertilization between (plants or animals of different breeds, races, varieties, etc)
(transitive) to oppose the wishes or plans of; thwart: his opponent crosses him at every turn
(football) to kick or pass (the ball) from a wing to the middle of the field
(transitive) (nautical) to set (the yard of a square sail) athwartships
cross a bridge when one comes to it, to deal with matters, problems, etc, as they arise; not to anticipate difficulties
cross one’s fingers, to fold one finger across another in the hope of bringing good luck: keep your fingers crossed
cross one’s heart, to promise or pledge, esp by making the sign of a cross over one’s heart
cross one’s mind, to occur to one briefly or suddenly
cross someone’s palm, to give someone money
cross someone’s path, to meet or thwart someone
cross swords, to argue or fight
adjective
angry; ill-humoured; vexed
lying or placed across; transverse: a cross timber
involving interchange; reciprocal
contrary or unfavourable
another word for crossbred (sense 1)
a Brit slang word for dishonest
noun the Cross
the cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified
the Crucifixion of Jesus
noun
Richard Assheton, 1st Viscount. 1823–1914, British Conservative statesman, home secretary (1874–80); noted for reforms affecting housing, public health, and the employment of women and children in factories
combining form
indicating action from one individual, group, etc, to another: cross-cultural, cross-fertilize, cross-refer
indicating movement, position, etc, across something (sometimes implying interference, opposition, or contrary action): crosscurrent, crosstalk
indicating a crosslike figure or intersection: crossbones
n.

Old English cros (mid-10c.), from Old Irish cros, probably via Scandinavian, from Latin crux (accusative crucem, genitive crucis) “stake, cross” on which criminals were impaled or hanged, hence, figuratively, “torture, trouble, misery;” originally a tall, round pole; possibly of Phoenician origin. Replaced Old English rood. Also from Latin crux are Italian croce, French croix, Spanish and Portuguese cruz, Dutch kruis, German Kreuz.
adj.

“ill-tempered,” 1630s, probably from 16c. sense of “contrary, athwart,” especially with reference to winds and sailing ships, from cross (n.). Cross-purposes “contradictory intentions” is from 1660s.
v.

c.1200, “make the sign of a cross,” from cross (n.). Sense of “to go across” is from c.1400; that of “to cancel by drawing lines over” is from mid-15c. Related: Crossed; crossing.
cross
(krôs)
Noun A plant or animal produced by crossbreeding; a hybrid.

Verb To crossbreed or cross-fertilize plants or animals.

in the New Testament the instrument of crucifixion, and hence used for the crucifixion of Christ itself (Eph. 2:16; Heb. 12:2; 1 Cor. 1:17, 18; Gal. 5:11; 6:12, 14; Phil. 3:18). The word is also used to denote any severe affliction or trial (Matt. 10:38; 16:24; Mark 8:34; 10:21). The forms in which the cross is represented are these: 1. The crux simplex (I), a “single piece without transom.” 2. The crux decussata (X), or St. Andrew’s cross. 3. The crux commissa (T), or St. Anthony’s cross. 4. The crux immissa (t), or Latin cross, which was the kind of cross on which our Saviour died. Above our Lord’s head, on the projecting beam, was placed the “title.” (See CRUCIFIXION.) After the conversion, so-called, of Constantine the Great (B.C. 313), the cross first came into use as an emblem of Christianity. He pretended at a critical moment that he saw a flaming cross in the heavens bearing the inscription, “In hoc signo vinces”, i.e., By this sign thou shalt conquer, and that on the following night Christ himself appeared and ordered him to take for his standard the sign of this cross. In this form a new standard, called the Labarum, was accordingly made, and borne by the Roman armies. It remained the standard of the Roman army till the downfall of the Western empire. It bore the embroidered monogram of Christ, i.e., the first two Greek letters of his name, X and P (chi and rho), with the Alpha and Omega. (See A.)

cross a bridge when one comes to it
cross as a bear
cross my heart and hope to die
cross one’s fingers
cross one’s mind
cross over
cross someone’s palm with silver
cross someone’s path
cross swords
cross the Rubicon
cross to bear
cross up