Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense crooks, present participle crooking, past tense, past participle crooked
1. countable noun
A crook is a dishonest person or a criminal.
[informal]
The man is a crook and a liar.
Donaldson was a petty crook with a string of previous offences.
Synonyms: criminal, rogue, cheat, thief More Synonyms of crook
2. countable noun [usually singular]
The crook of your arm or leg is the soft inside part where you bend your elbow or knee.
She hid her face in the crook of her arm. [+ of]
Synonyms: angle, bend, bow, curve More Synonyms of crook
3. verb
If you crook your arm or finger, you bend it.
He crooked his finger: 'Come forward,' he said. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: bend, hook, angle, bow More Synonyms of crook
4. countable noun
A crook is a long pole with a large hook at the end. A crook is carried by a bishop in religious ceremonies, or by a shepherd.
...a shepherd's crook.
5.
See by hook or by crook
More Synonyms of crook
crook in British English
(krʊk)
noun
1.
a curved or hooked thing
2.
a staff with a hooked end, such as a bishop's crosier or shepherd's staff
3.
a turn or curve; bend
4. informal
a dishonest person, esp a swindler or thief
5.
the act or an instance of crooking or bending
6. Also called: shank
a piece of tubing added to a brass instrument in order to obtain a lower harmonic series
verb
7.
to bend or curve or cause to bend or curve
adjective
8. Australian and New Zealand informal
a.
ill
b.
of poor quality
c.
unpleasant; bad
9. go crook
10. go crook at
Word origin
C12: from Old Norse krokr hook; related to Swedish krok, Danish krog hook, Old High German krācho hooked tool
crook in American English
(krʊk)
noun
1.
a hooked, bent, or curved thing or part; hook
2.
a.
a shepherd's staff, with a hook at one end
b.
a bishop's staff resembling this; crosier
3.
a bending or being bent
4.
a bend or curve
5. US, Informal
a person who steals or cheats; swindler or thief
verb transitiveWord forms: crooked (krʊkt) or ˈcrooking
6.
to bend or curve
7. Slang
to steal
verb intransitive
8.
to bend or curve
Word origin
ME crok < ON krōkr, var. of krākr, a bending, hook, bay: for IE base see cradle
More idioms containing
crook
do something by hook or by crook
Examples of 'crook' in a sentence
crook
She fitted naturally and comfortably into the crook of my arm like the missing piece of a puzzle.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
But one of the crooks then swipes all the gold for himself.
The Sun (2006)
We were in silhouette as the three shepherds with our crooks.
The Sun (2012)
The crooks used gloves to make sure they left no fingerprints.
The Sun (2016)
But this one was more than just a petty crook no one would miss.
The Sun (2016)
Suggest he is a liar and a crook.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
But get it done by hook or by crook.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
YOU'D expect the immigration surge to cause a rise in crime by foreign crooks.
The Sun (2014)
The police must wonder why they bother to catch the crooks in the first place.
The Sun (2006)
Crooks are stealing the identities of real legal practices to con you and your solicitor.
The Sun (2013)
The crooks used forged residency documents and job references to claim huge handouts.
The Sun (2011)
And for this they have been made to appear like petty crooks.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Bag a ticket by hook or by crook.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The case follows other attacks by freed foreign crooks.
The Sun (2006)
Most of my clients were harmless small-time crooks or businessmen who had committed fraud or theft.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
We want another president, not a crook and a thief.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Instead, he offers a reward for turning in the crooks.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
There is at least one notorious crook protected by his seniority and almost certain to be re-elected.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Ministers highlighted five recent cases as proof they are catching welfare crooks who cost taxpayers 1.2billion a year.
The Sun (2014)
I cradled her head in the crook of my elbow and rocked her slowly.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Straight as a shepherd 's crook.
The Sun (2012)
I bet he crooks his little finger when he drinks a cup of tea '.
The Times Literary Supplement (2013)
In other languages
crook
British English: crook /krʊk/ NOUN
A crook is a criminal or a dishonest person.
The man is a crook and a liar.
American English: crook
Arabic: نَصَّاب
Brazilian Portuguese: desonesto
Chinese: 骗子
Croatian: varalica
Czech: darebák
Danish: slyngel
Dutch: oplichter
European Spanish: malhechor
Finnish: konna rikollinen
French: escroc
German: Betrüger
Greek: αγύρτης
Italian: imbroglione
Japanese: ペテン師
Korean: 사기꾼
Norwegian: kjeltring
Polish: oszust
European Portuguese: desonesto
Romanian: escroc
Russian: жулик
Latin American Spanish: malhechor
Swedish: skurk
Thai: คนทุจริต
Turkish: düzenbaz
Ukrainian: дурисвіт
Vietnamese: kẻ lừa gạt
British English: crook VERB
If you crook your arm or finger, you bend it.
He crooked his finger: 'Come forward', he said.
American English: crook
Brazilian Portuguese: dobrar
Chinese: 弯曲
European Spanish: doblar
French: recourber
German: krümmen
Italian: piegare
Japanese: 曲げる
Korean: 구부리다
European Portuguese: dobrar
Latin American Spanish: doblar
All related terms of 'crook'
go crook
to lose one's temper
go crook at
to rebuke or upbraid
shepherd's crook
a long pole with a large hook at the end, used by a shepherd
by hook or crook
by any means
by hook or by crook
If someone says they will do something by hook or by crook , they are determined to do it, even if they have to make a great effort or use dishonest means.
do something by hook or by crook
to do something even if it is very difficult for you, or you have to use dishonest means