crab
1 of 5noun (1)
ˈkrab 
often attributive
1
plural crabs also crab : any of numerous chiefly marine broadly built decapod crustaceans:
a
: any of an infraorder (Brachyura) with a short broad usually flattened carapace, a small abdomen that curls forward beneath the body, short antennae, and the anterior pair of limbs modified as grasping pincers
b
: any of various crustaceans of an infraorder (Anomura) resembling true crabs in the more or less reduced condition of the abdomen
2
capitalized : cancer sense 1
3
crabs plural : infestation with crab lice
4
: the angular difference between an aircraft's course and the heading necessary to make that course in the presence of a crosswind
crab
2 of 5verb (1)
crabbed; crabbing
intransitive verb
1
: to fish for crabs
2
a(1)
: to move sideways indirectly or diagonally
(2)
: to crab an airplane
b
: to scuttle or scurry sideways
transitive verb
1
: to cause to move sideways or in an indirect or diagonal manner
specifically : to head (an airplane) into a crosswind to counteract drift
2
: to subject to crabbing
crab
3 of 5noun (2)
: crab apple
crab
4 of 5noun (3)
: an ill-tempered person : grouch
crab
5 of 5verb (2)
crabbed; crabbing
transitive verb
1
: to make sullen : sour
old age has crabbed his nature
2
: to complain about peevishly
3
: spoil, ruin
intransitive verb
: carp, grouse
always crabs about the weather
Synonyms
Noun (3)
- bear
- bellyacher
- complainer
- crank
- croaker
- crosspatch
- curmudgeon
- fusser
- griper
- grouch
- grouser
- growler
- grumbler
- grump
- murmurer
- mutterer
- sourpuss
- whiner
Verb (2)
- beef
- bellyache
- bitch
- bleat
- carp
- caterwaul
- complain
- croak
- fuss
- gripe
- grizzle
- grouch
- grouse
- growl
- grumble
- grump
- holler
- inveigh
- keen
- kick
- kvetch
- maunder [chiefly British]
- moan
- murmur
- mutter
- nag
- repine
- scream
- squawk
- squeal
- wail
- whimper
- whine
- whinge [British]
- yammer
- yawp
- yaup
- yowl
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Word History
Etymology
Noun (1)
Middle English crabbe, from Old English crabba; akin to Old High German krebiz crab and perhaps to Old English ceorfan to carve — more at carve
Noun (2)
Middle English crabbe, perhaps from crabbe crab entry 1
Verb (2)
Middle English crabben, probably back-formation from crabbed
First Known Use
Noun (1)
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb (1)
1657, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1
Noun (2)
14th century, in the meaning defined above
Noun (3)
1580, in the meaning defined above
Verb (2)
1662, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Phrases Containing crab
Kids Definition
crab 1 of 3
noun
ˈkrab
: a sea animal that is a crustacean related to the lobsters and has a short broad flat shell and a front pair of legs with small claws
crab
2 of 3noun
: a person who is usually grouchy
crab
3 of 3verb
crabbed; crabbing
: complain
Medical Definition
crab
noun
ˈkrab
1
: any of a tribe (Brachyura) of chiefly marine crustaceans with a short broad usually flattened carapace, a small abdomen that curls forward beneath the body, short antennae, and the anterior pair of limbs modified as grasping pincers
2
crabs plural : infestation with pubic lice
crabbing
verb
1
as in complaining
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely their two-year-old whined and crabbed for the whole car trip Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- complaining
- whining
- screaming
- moaning
- bitching
- muttering
- bellyaching
- kicking
- grumbling
- carping
- griping
- growling
- hollering
- squealing
- kvetching
- grouching
- grizzling
- grumping
- grousing
- squawking
- repining
- crying
- whimpering
- worrying
- caterwauling
- yammering
- yowling
- nagging
- whinging
- wailing
- beefing
- bleating
- fussing
- yawping
- murmuring
- whingeing
- keening
- maundering
- yauping
- protesting
- inveighing
- kicking up a stink
- croaking
- kicking up a fuss
- sobbing
- stewing
- fretting
- caviling
- quibbling
- quarrelling (with)
- blubbering
- lamenting
- cavilling
- quarreling (with)
- deploring
- bemoaning
- objecting (to)
- bewailing
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- taking
- rejoicing
- delighting
- crowing
- tolerating
- enduring
- accepting
- bearing
- countenancing
- applauding
- commending
- cheering
2
as in damaging
to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of crabbed the blossoming romance by becoming moody and demanding Synonyms & Similar Words
- damaging
- marring
- injuring
- hurting
- crippling
- breaking
- spoiling
- compromising
- eroding
- weakening
- harming
- impairing
- destroying
- undermining
- ruining
- defacing
- flawing
- disfiguring
- battering
- bloodying
- endamaging
- deteriorating
- blemishing
- scouring
- wrecking
- crossing (up)
- dinging
- vitiating
- torturing
- demolishing
- washing out
- smashing
- shattering
- blighting
- bashing
- maiming
- wounding
- enfeebling
- tormenting
- wasting
- enervating
- laming
- denting
- crushing
- tarnishing
- devastating
- queering
- disabling
- tearing down
- wiping out
- mangling
- botching
- mutilating
- clobbering
- wearing (away)
- hamstringing
- scourging
- pulverizing
- dashing
- dinting
- decimating
- annihilating
- totaling
- lacerating
- desolating
- razing
- gumming (up)
- doing in
- banging up
- totalling
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- repairing
- fixing
- curing
- patching
- mending
- rebuilding
- healing
- renovating
- reconstructing
- helping
- doctoring
- reconditioning
- rehabilitating
- rectifying
- revamping
- remodeling
- remedying
- improving
- revising
- editing
- perfecting
- refining
- enhancing
- ameliorating
- enriching
- meliorating
- bettering