crow

noun

1. A bird, usually black, of the genus Corvus, having a strong conical beak, with projecting bristles; it has a harsh, croaking call.

   “Gaslark in his splendour on the golden stairs saying adieu to those three captains and their matchless armament foredoomed to dogs and crows on Salapanta Hills.”

2. Any of various dark-coloured nymphalid butterflies of the genus Euploea.
3. A bar of iron with a beak, crook or claw; a bar of iron used as a lever; a crowbar.

   “He approached the humble tomb in which Antonia reposed. He had provided himself with an iron crow and a pick-axe: but this precaution was unnecessary.”

   “Watt might have broken the door down, with an axe, or a crow, or a small charge of explosive, but this might have aroused Erskine's suspicions, and Watt did not want that.”

4. (archaic, slang)Someone who keeps watch while their associates commit a crime; a lookout.

   ““Ay,” put in a young man, who had the reputation of being the smartest “crow” in London—“‘fishers of men,’ as the parson says.””

   “By nine o'clock on the evening of November 12, 1854, Pierce had his confederates in their places. The crow, Agar's woman, lounged across the street from the Trent mansion.”

5. (historical)A gangplank (corvus) used by the Ancient Roman navy to board enemy ships.
6. The mesentery of an animal.
7. (derogatory)An ill-tempered and obstinate woman, or one who otherwise has features resembling the bird; a harpy.

   “But it helps a man along to have a wife he can be proud of. Suppose you marry some old crow. People point at her and ask, 'Who is that death's head yonder?'”

   “(Mrs. Meany to Woody, from a window) "I don't care! I'm not running a pet shop." "Well it looks like one with an old crow in the window!"”

8. (ethnic, offensive, slang, slur)A black person.
9. (slang)The emblem of an eagle, a sign of military rank.

   “A young petty officer that must have just received his “crow” (a single chevron, with an eagle over it) was showing off to several seamen.”

   “The young man had been threatened with loss of his third class rank, his “crow,” the eagle in a petty officer's sleeve insignia.”

10. The cry or call of a rooster or a cockerel, especially as heard at sunrise.
11. (alt-of, alternative, uncountable)Alternative spelling of cro (“marijuana”).

    “My young boys hop out the ride in a crop yard searching, tryna find this crow”

12. A member of a Native American tribe of southern Montana.

adj

1. (uncommon)Dark black, the color of a crow; crow-black.

   “"Though her crow hair is lovely and wavy, she loathes it and craves yellow locks. Since she saw Hugh, she's given me no peace.” Sheffield's square , good-looking face shaped a grimace.”

   “[…] only her crow hair could be seen. Her appearance could not be seen as she anxiously called out, "Mother ..." The setting sun cast a dim yellow light on the interior of the house. The woman lay on her back and looked up at the beams overhead[…]”

verb

1. (intransitive)To make the shrill sound characteristic of a rooster; to make a sound in this manner, either in gaiety, joy, pleasure, or defiance.

   “Yet once me thought it [the ghost of Hamlet's father] was about to ſpeake, / And lifted vp his head to motion, / Like as he would ſpeake, but euen the / The morning cocke crew lowd, and in all haſte / It ſhrunke in haſte away, and vaniſhed / Our ſight.”

   “This is the Cock that crowed in the Morn[.]”

   “'You are that Psyche' Cyril said again / 'The mother of the sweetest little maid, / That ever crow'd for kisses.'”

   “Hearing the miner's footsteps, the baby would put up his arms and crow.”

2. (intransitive)To shout in exultation or defiance; to brag.

   “He’s been crowing all day about winning the game of cards.”

   “Touting its sponsorship of local engineering and sustainability programs, Amazon crows about such “investments” as its dog park, playing fields, art installations, and Buckyball-reminiscent domical gardens.”

   “Another of my favorite dishes, the Asian chicken salad, was inspired by a skit by comedian Margaret Cho (“This is not the salad of my people…” she crows).”

3. (intransitive)To test the reed of a double reed instrument by placing the reed alone in the mouth and blowing it.

name

1. The Siouan language of this tribe.
2. A surname.