Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense, plural crests, present participle cresting, past tense, past participle crested
1. countable noun
The crestof a hill or a wave is the top of it.
See on the crest of a wave
2. verb
When someone crests a hill, they reach the top of it.
[written]
The first wave of marchers crested the hill. [VERB noun]
3. countable noun
A bird's crest is a group of upright feathers on the top of its head.
Both birds had a dark blue crest.
Synonyms: tuft, crown, comb, plume More Synonyms of crest
4. countable noun
A crest is a design that is the symbol of a noble family, a town, or an organization.
On the wall is the family crest.
Synonyms: emblem, badge, symbol, insignia More Synonyms of crest
More Synonyms of crest
crest in British English
(krɛst)
noun
1.
a tuft or growth of feathers, fur, or skin along the top of the heads of some birds, reptiles, and other animals
2.
something resembling or suggesting this
3.
the top, highest point, or highest stage of something
4.
a ridge on the neck of a horse, dog, lion, etc
5.
the mane or hair growing from this ridge
6.
an ornamental piece, such as a plume, on top of a helmet
7. heraldry
a symbol of a family or office, usually representing a beast or bird, borne in addition to a coat of arms and used in medieval times to decorate the helmet
8.
a ridge along the top of a roof, wall, etc
9.
a ridge along the surface of a bone
10. Also called: cresting archery
identifying rings painted around an arrow shaft
verb
11. (intransitive)
to come or rise to a high point
12. (transitive)
to lie at the top of; cap
13. (transitive)
to go to or reach the top of (a hill, wave, etc)
Derived forms
crested (ˈcrested)
adjective
crestless (ˈcrestless)
adjective
Word origin
C14: from Old French creste, from Latin crista
CREST in British English
(krɛst)
noun
an electronic share-settlement system, created by the Bank of England, that began operations in 1996
Word origin
C20: from CrestCo, the name of the operating company
crest in American English
(krɛst)
noun
1.
any process or growth on the head of an animal, as a comb or feathered tuft on certain birds
2.
a plume or emblem, formerly worn on a helmet
3.
a helmet or its apex
4.
a heraldic device placed above the shield in a coat of arms, or used separately on seals, silverware, note paper, etc.
5.
the top of anything, or the line or surface along the top; summit; ridge
the crest of a wave, a mountain crest
6.
the highest point, level, degree, etc.
7.
a.
the ridge of the neck of a horse, lion, etc.
b.
the mane growing on this
8.
cresting
9.
a projecting ridge, as along a bone
verb transitive
10.
to provide or decorate with a crest
11.
to lie at the top of; crown
12.
to reach the crest of
verb intransitive
13.
to form a crest, as a wave
14.
to reach its highest level
the flooding river crested at 30 feet
Word origin
ME creste < OFr < L crista, prob. < IE base *(s)kreis-, to shake > MIr cressaim, I shake, ON hrista, to shake
More idioms containing
crest
on the crest of a wave
Examples of 'crest' in a sentence
crest
The trick is to ask what next and be at the crest of the wave.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
She's riding the crest of a wave.
The Sun (2016)
The route gradually rises to crest the rugged mountains, smothered in thick heather and monumental rocky outcrops.
The Sun (2016)
British food culture is on the crest of a wave ; our chefs are more famous than our rock stars.
The Sun (2016)
The line on which we now found ourselves was in general close to, but still below, the crest of the ridge at nearly all points.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Luxury touches are expected to include reclining seats embroidered with the royal crest.
The Sun (2008)
They are on the crest of a wave and will feel they deserved the replay.
The Sun (2006)
They were on the crest of a hill.
LM Montgomery Anne of Green Gables (1872)
Another option being considered is the royal crest.
The Sun (2012)
Make sure you ride on the crest of the wave.
Vera Peiffer POSITIVE THINKING: Everything you have always known about positive thinking but wereafraid to put into practice (2001)
They were formed up under the crest of a hill.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
But we were on the crest of a wave.
The Sun (2008)
We'll have your family crest gripped in the jaws of a gigantic fish.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
When we reached the crest and looked backwards, a glorious view was presented.
Eric Newby A BOOK OF LANDS AND PEOPLES (2003)
It contained two spoons and a fork, silver with her family crest stamped on the handles.
Edward Beauclerk Maurice THE LAST OF THE GENTLEMEN ADVENTURERS: Coming of Age in the Arctic (2004)
The women's squad are on the crest of a wave.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Path inside right-hand hedge climbs by road to crest of hill.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
If we had had a family crest, it would have been a picture of a moving van.
Sidney Sheldon The Other Side of Me
It is wrapped in gold foil and a red wrapper, before being stamped with the royal crest.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
At first it crept to the crest of the hill and stopped, then gravity finally kicked in.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
WHERE do you go with a commodity producer that is riding the crest of the wave?
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Haven't got a family crest?
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
We will need to, because Wales are on the crest of a wave.
The Sun (2011)
Once an upturn began it took about 25 years to reach its crest, and then a downturn began.
Sanderson, Stephen K. Macrosociology: An Introduction to Human Societies (1995)
In a house inside the castle walls, the pair met a white mole, which featured on his family crest.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
As you crest the first hill there's a parking area from which on a good day you can see 50 miles of coastline.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Over the crest of the hill they entered what was in effect an ambush, walking into'a hurricane of machinegun fire from unseen positions.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Word lists with
crest
heraldry
In other languages
crest
British English: crest NOUN
The crest of a hill or a wave is the top of it.
...the white crest of an incoming wave.
American English: crest
Brazilian Portuguese: crista
Chinese: 顶
European Spanish: cresta
French: crête
German: Kamm
Italian: cresta
Japanese: 頂上
Korean: 산마루
European Portuguese: crista
Latin American Spanish: cresta
Chinese translation of 'crest'
crest
(krɛst)
n(c)
(= top)
[of hill]峰 (fēng)
[of wave]波峰 (bōfēng)
[of bird]羽冠 (yǔguān)
(= coat of arms) 饰(飾)章 (shìzhāng) (枚, méi)
1 (noun)
Definition
the top of a mountain, hill, or wave
He reached the crest of the hill.
Synonyms
top
I came down alone from the top of the mountain.
summit
the first man to reach the summit of Mount Everest
peak
the snow-covered peaks of the Alps
ridge
In some places the ridge is quite a gentle feature.
highest point
pinnacle
He had reached the pinnacle of his career.
apex
She led me up a gloomy corridor to the apex of the pyramid.
head
the head of the stairs
crown
We stood on the crown of the hill.
height
From a height, it looks like a desert.
2 (noun)
Definition
a tuft or growth of feathers or skin on the top of a bird's or animal's head
Both birds had a dark blue crest.
Synonyms
tuft
crown
comb
plume
straw hats decorated with ostrich plumes
panache
mane
tassel
topknot
cockscomb
aigrette
caruncle (zoology)
3 (noun)
Definition
a heraldic design or figure used on a coat of arms and elsewhere
On the wall is the family crest.
Synonyms
emblem
the emblem of the Red Cross
badge
a badge depicting a party leader
symbol
The artist uses the oak tree as a symbol of strength.
insignia
a tunic bearing the insignia of the captain of the Irish Guards
charge
bearings
device
Additional synonyms
in the sense of apex
Definition
the highest point
She led me up a gloomy corridor to the apex of the pyramid.
Synonyms
highest point,
point,
top,
tip,
summit,
peak,
crest,
pinnacle,
vertex
in the sense of badge
Definition
a distinguishing emblem or mark worn to show membership or achievement
a badge depicting a party leader
Synonyms
image,
brand,
stamp,
identification,
crest,
emblem,
insignia
in the sense of crown
Definition
the highest or central point of something arched or curved