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crab

more about crab

crab


  5  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Crab  \Crab\  (kr[a^]b),  n.  [AS.  crabba;  akin  to  D.  krab,  G. 
  krabbe  krebs,  Icel.  krabbi,  Sw  krabba  Dan.  krabbe  and 
  perh.  to  E.  cramp.  Cf  {Crawfish}.] 
  1.  (Zo["o]l.)  One  of  the  brachyuran  Crustacea.  They  are 
  mostly  marine,  and  usually  have  a  broad,  short  body, 
  covered  with  a  strong  shell  or  carapace.  The  abdomen  is 
  small  and  curled  up  beneath  the  body. 
 
  Note:  The  name  is  applied  to  all  the  Brachyura,  and  to 
  certain  Anomura,  as  the  hermit  crabs.  Formerly,  it  was 
  sometimes  applied  to  Crustacea  in  general.  Many  species 
  are  edible,  the  blue  crab  of  the  Atlantic  coast  being 
  one  of  the  most  esteemed.  The  large  European  edible 
  crab  is  {Cancer  padurus}.  {Soft-shelled  crabs}  are  blue 
  crabs  that  have  recently  cast  their  shells.  See 
  {Cancer};  also  {Box  crab},  {Fiddler  crab},  {Hermit 
  crab},  {Spider  crab},  etc.,  under  {Box},  {Fiddler}. 
  etc 
 
  2.  The  zodiacal  constellation  Cancer. 
 
  3.  [See  {Crab},  a.]  (Bot.)  A  crab  apple;  --  so  named  from  its 
  harsh  taste. 
 
  When  roasted  crabs  hiss  in  the  bowl,  Then  nightly 
  sings  the  staring  owl.  --Shak. 
 
  4.  A  cudgel  made  of  the  wood  of  the  crab  tree;  a  crabstick. 
  [Obs.]  --Garrick. 
 
  5.  (Mech.) 
  a  A  movable  winch  or  windlass  with  powerful  gearing, 
  used  with  derricks,  etc 
  b  A  form  of  windlass,  or  geared  capstan,  for  hauling 
  ships  into  dock,  etc 
  c  A  machine  used  in  ropewalks  to  stretch  the  yarn. 
  d  A  claw  for  anchoring  a  portable  machine. 
 
  {Calling  crab}.  (Zo["o]l.)  See  {Fiddler}.,  n.,  2. 
 
  {Crab  apple},  a  small  sour  apple,  of  several  kinds;  also 
  the  tree  which  bears  it  as  the  European  crab  apple 
  ({Pyrus  Malus}  var.  sylvestris);  the  Siberian  crab  apple 
  ({Pyrus  baccata});  and  the  American  ({Pyrus  coronaria}). 
 
 
  {Crab  grass}.  (Bot.) 
  a  A  grass  ({Digitaria,  or  Panicum,  sanguinalis});  -- 
  called  also  {finger  grass}. 
  b  A  grass  of  the  genus  {Eleusine}  ({E.  Indica});  -- 
  called  also  {dog's-tail  grass},  {wire  grass},  etc 
 
  {Crab  louse}  (Zo["o]l.),  a  species  of  louse  ({Phthirius 
  pubis}),  sometimes  infesting  the  human  body. 
 
  {Crab  plover}  (Zo["o]l.),  an  Asiatic  plover  ({Dromas 
  ardeola}). 
 
  {Crab's  eyes},  or  {Crab's  stones},  masses  of  calcareous 
  matter  found  at  certain  seasons  of  the  year,  on  either 
  side  of  the  stomach  of  the  European  crawfishes,  and 
  formerly  used  in  medicine  for  absorbent  and  antacid 
  purposes;  the  gastroliths. 
 
  {Crab  spider}  (Zo["o]l.),  one  of  a  group  of  spiders 
  ({Laterigrad[ae]});  --  called  because  they  can  run 
  backwards  or  sideways  like  a  crab. 
 
  {Crab  tree},  the  tree  that  bears  crab  applies. 
 
  {Crab  wood},  a  light  cabinet  wood  obtained  in  Guiana,  which 
  takes  a  high  polish.  --McElrath. 
 
  {To  catch  a  crab}  (Naut.),  a  phrase  used  of  a  rower: 
  a  when  he  fails  to  raise  his  oar  clear  of  the  water; 
  b  when  he  misses  the  water  altogether  in  making  a 
  stroke. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Crab  \Crab\  (kr[a^]b),  v.  t. 
  1.  To  make  sour  or  morose;  to  embitter.  [Obs.] 
 
  Sickness  sours  or  crabs  our  nature.  --Glanvill. 
 
  2.  To  beat  with  a  crabstick.  [Obs.]  --J.  Fletcher. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Crab  \Crab\,  v.  i.  (Naut.) 
  To  drift  sidewise  or  to  leeward,  as  a  vessel.  --Ham.  Nav. 
  Encyc. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Crab  \Crab\,  a.  [Prob.  from  the  same  root  as  crab,  n.] 
  Sour;  rough;  austere. 
 
  The  crab  vintage  of  the  neighb'ring  coast.  --Dryden. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  crab 
  n  1:  decapod  having  eyes  on  short  stalks  and  a  broad  flattened 
  carapace  with  a  small  abdomen  folded  under  the  thorax 
  and  pincers 
  2:  a  quarrelsome  grouch  [syn:  {crabby  person}] 
  3:  the  edible  flesh  of  any  of  various  crabs  [syn:  {crabmeat}] 
  4:  infests  the  pubic  region  of  the  human  body  [syn:  {crab  louse}, 
  {pubic  louse},  {Phthirius  pubis}] 
  5:  a  stroke  of  the  oar  that  either  misses  the  water  or  digs  too 
  deeply;  "he  caught  a  crab  and  lost  the  race" 
  v  :  fish  for  crab 




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