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Crab
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English Dictionary: crab by the DICT Development Group
5 results for crab
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [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
    Synonym(s): crab, crabby person
  3. (astrology) a person who is born while the sun is in Cancer
    Synonym(s): Cancer, Crab
  4. the fourth sign of the zodiac; the sun is in this sign from about June 21 to July 22
    Synonym(s): Cancer, Cancer the Crab, Crab
  5. the edible flesh of any of various crabs
    Synonym(s): crab, crabmeat
  6. a louse that infests the pubic region of the human body
    Synonym(s): crab louse, pubic louse, crab, Phthirius pubis
  7. a stroke of the oar that either misses the water or digs too deeply; "he caught a crab and lost the race"
v
  1. direct (an aircraft) into a crosswind
  2. scurry sideways like a crab
  3. fish for crab
  4. complain; "What was he hollering about?"
    Synonym(s): gripe, bitch, grouse, crab, beef, squawk, bellyache, holler
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
   Crab \Crab\ (kr[acr]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[94]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[94]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[94]l.), a species of louse ({Phthirius
            pubis}), sometimes infesting the human body.
  
      {Crab plover} (Zo[94]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[94]l.), one of a group of spiders
            ({Laterigrad[91]}); -- 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\, 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 Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
   Crab \Crab\ (kr[acr]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.
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