verb | noun | adjective
crosscross1 /krɔs/ ●●● S2 W2 verb 1
GO FROM ONE SIDE TO ANOTHER [intransitive, transitive] to go or stretch from one side of a road, river, room, etc. to the other side: Look both ways before crossing the street. Ships took four or five days to cross the Atlantic. An old wooden bridge crosses the river.cross over We crossed over to the beach.► see thesaurus at go12TWO ROADS/LINES ETC. [transitive] if two or more roads, lines, etc. cross, they go across each other SYN intersect: There’s a post office where Oakland Road crosses 32nd Street.3CROSS A LINE ETC. [transitive] if you cross a line, track, etc., you go over and beyond it: Johnson crossed the finish line in first place.4LEGS/ARMS/ANKLES [transitive] if you cross your legs, arms, or ankles, you put one on top of the other: Doris sat down and crossed her legs.5cross your mind if an idea, thought, etc. crosses your mind, you begin to think about it: It never crossed my mind that she might be sick. “You could fly to Boston to visit him.” “The thought has crossed my mind.” (=used to tell someone you have thought of the thing they are suggesting)6cross somebody’s face if an expression crosses someone’s face, it appears on his or her face: A look of horror crossed Ken’s face.7cross your fingers a) (also keep your fingers crossed) used to say that you hope something will happen in the way you want: Keep your fingers crossed for me. b)if someone crosses his or her fingers while telling you something, what he or she is saying is not true: A memo said that doctors were told “with crossed fingers” that the company was doing safety studies.8somebody’s paths cross (also cross somebody’s path) if two people’s paths cross or if they cross paths, they meet without expecting it: Our paths did not cross again until 1941.9BREED OF PLANT/ANIMAL [transitive] science, biology to mix two or more different breeds of animal or plant to form a new breed SYN crossbreed: Some species of plants can be crossed very easily.cross something with something If you cross a horse with a donkey, you get a mule. → see also cross210MAKE somebody ANGRY [transitive] to make someone angry by opposing his or her plans or orders: I wouldn’t cross her if I were you.11cross that bridge when you come to it spoken used to say that you will not think or worry about something until it actually happens12cross my heart (and hope to die) spoken used to say that you promise that you will do something, or that what you are saying is true: I didn’t take it, cross my heart!13cross your eyes to look toward your nose with both of your eyes14cross swords (with somebody) to argue with someone: The two countries have crossed swords on a number of trade issues.15cross yourself to move your hand in the shape of a cross across your chest and head, as Christians do in some churches, for example the Catholic Church → see also dot the i’s and cross the t’s at dot2 (5), cross the Rubicon at Rubiconcross off phrasal verb cross something ↔ off to draw a line through one or more things on a list because you have dealt with them or they are not needed anymore: Cross off their names as they arrive.cross something ↔ out phrasal verb to draw a line or lines through something you have written or drawn, usually because it is wrong: The salesman crossed out $222 and wrote $225.cross over phrasal verb1if a performer crosses over from one area of entertainment to another, they become successful in the second area as well as the first → see also crossover12old use to die verb | noun | adjective
crosscross2 ●●● S3 W2 noun [countable] 1CHRISTIAN SIGN a)an upright wooden post with another post crossing it near the top, that people were nailed to and left to die on as a punishment in ancient times: Christians believe that Jesus died on a cross for our sins. b)an object or picture in the shape of a cross, used as a sign of the Christian faith: a tiny gold cross on a necklace2MIXTURE OF THINGS a mixture of two or more things, breeds, qualities, etc.: cross between My dog is a cross between a collie and a retriever. Her expression was a cross between pain and bewilderment.► see thesaurus at mixture3A MARK ON PAPER a mark (x or +) used on paper to represent where something is, or where something should be: I’ve put a cross on the map to mark where our house is.4MILITARY AWARD a decoration in the shape of a cross that is worn as an honor, especially for performing military actions that show courage: Jones was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.5WAY OF HITTING a way of hitting someone in the sport of boxing, in which your arm goes over his or hers as he or she tries to hit you: Roberts was knocked out by a right cross (=a hit using his right hand) from Chavez.6a (heavy) cross to bear a problem that makes you very unhappy or worried, often one that continues for a long time: His mother’s illness has been a very heavy cross to bear.[Origin: 900–1000 Old Norse kross, from an unrecorded Old Irish cross, from Latin crux] → see also the sign of the cross at sign1 (8) verb | noun | adjective
crosscross3 ●○○ adjective old-fashioned angry or annoyed: I’m sorry for getting so cross with you.