crossˈwise or crossˈways adverb and adjective

1. Across
2. In the form of a cross (archaic)

cross action noun (law)

An action brought by the defender against the pursuer

cross aisle noun (obsolete)

A transept

cross-and-pileˈ or cross-or-pileˈ noun (archaic)

1. Heads or tails
2. A toss-up

crossˈ-armed adjective

Having the arms crossed

cross assembler noun (computing)

An assembler that runs on one computer, producing a machine code for a different computer

crossˈband noun

crossbandˈed adjective

(of a handrail) having the grain of the veneer run across that of the rail

crossˈbanding noun

crossˈbar noun

1. A horizontal bar, eg on a man's bicycle or across a pair of goal posts
2. A kind of lever

crossˈbarred adjective

crossbar switch noun (electronics)

A switch having multiple vertical and horizontal paths, with electromagnetically operated contacts for connecting any vertical path with any horizontal one

crossbar switching noun

Using a crossbar switch system

crossˈbeam noun

A large beam stretching across a building and serving to hold its sides together

crossˈbearer noun

A person who carries a cross in a procession

cross bedding (geology) another term for false bedding (see under false).

crossˈbench noun

1. A bench laid crosswise
2. A bench on which independent or neutral members of the House of Commons or the House of Lords sit

adjective

1. Independent
2. Impartial

crossˈbencher noun

cross bill noun

A bill brought by the defendant in a Chancery suit against the plaintiff

crossˈbill noun

A finch of the genus Loxia with mandibles crossing near the points

crossˈbirth noun

A birth in which the child lies transversely in the uterus

crossˈbite transitive verb (archaic)

1. To bite in return
2. To cheat in return
3. To outwit
4. To entrap

crossˈbones singular noun

A figure of two thigh bones laid across each other, forming with the skull a conventional emblem of death or piracy

crossˈ-border adjective

Concerning or involving several neighbouring countries

crossˈbow noun

A weapon for shooting bolts, formed of a bow placed crosswise on a stock

crossˈbower or crossˈbowman noun

crossˈbred adjective

crossˈbreed noun

1. A breed produced by crossing two distinct breeds
2. The offspring of such a cross

transitive verb

To cross two distinct breeds

crossˈbreeding noun

crossˈbuck noun (N American)

A cross-shaped sign placed at a level crossing to warn motorists

cross bun see hot cross bun under hot¹

cross-buttˈock noun

A throw in which the hip is used to unbalance one's opponent in wrestling

crossˈcheck transitive verb and intransitive verb

1. To test the accuracy of eg a statement or piece of information by consulting various other sources of information
2. (in ice hockey) to check (one's opponent) illegally by hitting his upper body or stick

noun

An instance of crosschecking

crossˈclaim noun

A claim made by the defendant against the plaintiff

cross-claimˈ transitive verb and intransitive verb

cross colour noun

Spurious colour flashes in a colour-television receiver caused by misinterpretation of high-frequency luminance detail as colour information

cross compiler noun (computing)

A compiler that runs on one computer, producing a machine code for a different computer

cross-corrˈelate transitive verb

cross-correlāˈtion noun

Comparison of one set of data against another set

cross correspondence noun (psychic research)

Fitting together of communications separately unintelligible to give an intelligible whole

crossˈ-counˈtry adjective and adverb

Through fields, woods, over hills, etc, rather than by road, esp (of running, skiing, etc) over a long distance

noun

A cross-country competition

crossˈ-court adjective

Of a shot in tennis, travelling diagonally from one side of the court to the other

cross cousin see under cousin

cross-crossˈlet noun

A cross with a smaller cross at each of its ends

cross-culˈtural adjective

1. Relating to the differences between cultures
2. Bridging the gap between cultures

crossˈ-current noun

(in the air, sea, or a river) a current flowing across the main current

cross-curricˈular adjective

Of an educational approach that draws from a variety of disciplines and viewpoints

crossˈcut noun

1. A transverse cut or course
2. A short way across from one point to another

adjective

Cutting transversely or across the grain

transitive verb /-kutˈ/

1. To cut across
2. To carry out crosscutting

crosscut saw noun

A large saw worked by two men, one at each end, for cutting timber across the grain

crossˈcutting noun (film and TV)

Cutting and fitting together film sequences so that in the finished picture the action moves from one scene to another and back again, thus increasing dramatic tension

crossˈ-dāting noun (archaeology)

A method of dating one site, level, etc by comparison with others

cross-diviˈsion noun

Division into groups or classes that overlap

cross-dressˈ intransitive verb

cross-dressˈer noun

cross-dressˈing noun

Transvestism, the wearing of clothes normally associated with the opposite sex

crossed line noun

A telephone line connected in error to a different line or circuit

cross-examināˈtion noun

cross-examˈine transitive verb

1. To question minutely, or with a view to checking evidence already given
2. To subject to examination by the other side, esp by the prosecution or defence in a court of law

cross-examˈiner noun

crossˈ-eye noun

A squint in which the eye turns inwards towards the nose

cross-eyedˈ adjective

1. Squinting
2. Having a cross-eye

crossˈ-fade transitive verb (TV and radio)

To cause (a sound source or picture) to fade away while gradually introducing another (also intransitive verb)

crossˈfall noun

The transverse inclination on a road

crossˈ-fertilizāˈtion or crossˈ-fertilisāˈtion noun

1. The fertilization of a plant by pollen from another
2. Fruitful interaction of ideas from eg different cultures

cross-ferˈtilize or cross-ferˈtilise transitive verb

crossˈfield adjective (football)

(of a pass, etc) usu long and sideways in direction

crossˈfire noun (military)

The crossing of lines of fire from two or more points (also figurative)

crossˈfish noun

Another name for the common starfish (Asterias rubens)

cross-garˈnet noun

A T-shaped hinge, used esp to attach a door to a door frame

cross-garˈtered adjective (Shakespeare)

Wearing the garters crossed on the leg

crossˈ-grained adjective

1. Having the grain or fibres crossed or intertwined
2. Perverse
3. Contrary
4. Intractable

adverb

1. Across the grain
2. Perversely

cross-grainedˈness noun

cross guard noun

The bar, at right angles to the blade, forming the hilt-guard of a sword

cross hairs plural noun

Two fine lines crossing at right angles at the centre of the lens of an optical instrument, used for focusing

crossˈ-hatch transitive verb and intransitive verb

crossˈ-hatching noun

(in drawing, etc) shading by intersecting sets of parallel lines

crossˈhead noun

1. A beam across the head of something, esp the bar at the end of the piston-rod of an engine
2. A screw having an indented cross in its head
3. A subsection heading within the body of a text (printing)

cross-inˈdex noun

A cross-reference referring the reader to other material

intransitive verb

To cross-refer to related material

transitive verb

To list under another heading as a cross-reference

cross-infectˈ transitive verb

cross-infecˈtion noun

1. Infection of an already ill or injured person with another illness unrelated to his or her own complaint, liable to occur eg in hospitals where a variety of diseases are being treated
2. Infection from one species to another

crossing over noun (biology)

An exchange of segments of homologous chromosomes during meiosis whereby linked genes become recombined

crossˈing-sweeper noun (historical)

A person employed to sweep a street crossing

crossˈing-warden noun

A person appointed to conduct children across a busy street

crossˈjack noun (nautical)

A square sail set on the mizzenmast

crossˈ-kick noun

A crossfield kick

cross-latˈeral noun and adjective

(a person) affected with cross-laterality

cross-lateralˈity noun

A mixture of physical one-sidedness, eg the combination of a dominant left eye with a dominant right hand

crossˈ-leaved adjective

Having leaves in four rows, set crosswise

crossˈ-legged adjective

Sitting on the ground having the ankles and legs crossed (also adverb)

crossˈlight noun

A light whose direction makes an angle with that of another light, and which illuminates additional parts or regions

crossˈ-lighted adjective

crossˈ-link transitive verb and intransitive verb

crossˈ-linking noun (chem)

The formation of side bonds between different chains in a polymer

cross-magnetˈic adjective

Diamagnetic

cross-marketing see cross-selling below.

crossˈ-match transitive verb

To test (blood samples from a donor and a recipient) for compatibility by checking that agglutination does not occur when red cells from each are put into the other's serum

crossˈ-matching noun

crossˈover noun

1. A road passing over the top of another
2. Another term for crossing over (see above; biology)
3. A place or point at which a crossing or transfer is made

adjective

1. (of a musician, singer, etc) popular with or appealing to a wider audience beyond the category of music with which first associated
2. Having, incorporating or combining two or more styles, functions, methods, etc

crossover network noun (acoustics)

A frequency selective network which divides an audio signal into two or more frequency ranges in a loudspeaker, etc

crossover vote noun

crossover voter noun (US politics)

A person registered with one political party who votes for another in a primary

crossˈ-party adjective

Covering or drawn from all political parties

crossˈpatch an ill-natured person (see patch²).

crossˈpiece noun

1. A piece of material of any kind crossing another
2. A timber over the windlass, with pins for belaying the running rigging (nautical)

cross-platˈform adjective (computing)

Compatible with different types of computers or software

cross-ply tyre noun

A tyre in which the plies of fabric in the carcass are wrapped so as to cross each other diagonally

cross-pollˈinate transitive verb

cross-pollināˈtion noun

Transfer of pollen from the anther of one flower to the stigma of another (cf self-pollination)

cross-purˈpose noun

1. A contrary purpose
2. (in pl) a game in which answers to questions are transferred to other questions
3. (in pl) confusion in conversation or action by misunderstanding

cross-quarˈters singular noun

1. An ornament of tracery like the four petals of a cruciform flower
2. A quatrefoil

cross-quesˈtion transitive verb

To cross-examine

noun

A question asked during a cross-examination

cross-raˈtio noun

Of four points in a range, or rays in a pencil, the quotient of the positions ratios of two with respect to the other two

cross-referˈ transitive verb

To refer or direct (a reader, etc) to another place, entry, passage, title, etc

intransitive verb

To make a cross-reference

cross-refˈerence noun

1. A reference in a book to another entry, passage or title
2. Any similar reference, eg in a filing system, directing the user to another place or position for further information

transitive verb and intransitive verb

To cross-refer

crossˈ-rib noun

An arch supporting a vault

crossˈroad noun

1. A road crossing the principal road, a bypath
2. A road joining main roads
3. (often in pl) a place where roads cross
4. (in pl) a stage at which an important decision has to be made

crossˈroads adjective

crossˈ-row same as Christ-cross-row (see under Christ).

cross-ruffˈ noun (cards)

(esp in whist and bridge) a situation in which tricks are won by alternate trumping, with each of the partners leading a suit that the other lacks

cross sea noun

A sea that sets at an angle to the direction of the wind

crossˈ-section noun

1. A transverse section
2. A comprehensive representation
3. The probability, measured in barns, that a particular interaction will take place between atomic particles, which depends on their energy and nature and is zero when no reaction can take place (physics)

transitive verb

To make a cross-section of

cross-secˈtional adjective

cross-sellˈing or cross-markˈeting noun

The selling of services in addition to the services normally associated with a particular business or organization, eg the selling of insurance by banks, building societies, etc to existing customers

crossˈ-sill noun

A railway sleeper

crossˈ-slide noun

The sliding part of a lathe or planing machine which carries the tool at right angles to the bed of the lathe

cross-springˈer noun

A rib following the line of the groin in a groined vault

crossˈ-staff noun

A surveying instrument consisting of a staff surmounted with a frame carrying two pairs of sights at right angles

crossˈ-stitch noun

1. A stitch in the form of a cross
2. Needlework made up of such stitches

transitive verb

To embroider with such stitches

crossˈ-stone noun (obsolete)

1. Chiastolite
2. Staurolite
3. Harmotome

crossˈ-talk noun

1. Interference caused by the energy from one telephone conversation invading another by electrostatic or electromagnetic coupling
2. Backchat
3. Repartee

crossˈtie noun

1. A supporting tie placed transversely
2. A railway sleeper

cross-tīnˈing noun (agriculture)

A method of harrowing crosswise

crossˈtown adjective and adverb (N American)

Extending over, or crossing, a town, as in crosstown bus

crossˈ-training noun

Fitness training alternating between exercises involving gymnasium equipment and aerobic exercises in the same session

crossˈtree noun

A piece of timber or metal placed across the upper end of a ship's mast

cross-vaultˈing noun

Vaulting formed by the intersection of simple vaults

crossˈwalk noun (N American)

A pedestrian crossing

crossˈway noun

A way that crosses another or links others

crossˈwind noun

A wind blowing across the path of eg an aeroplane

crossˈword or crossword puzzle noun

A type of puzzle invented in America in 1913, in which a square with blank spaces is to be filled with letters which, read across or down, will give words corresponding to clues given

crossˈwort noun

A bedstraw with leaves set crosswise

at cross purposes

Having a contrary understanding of the situation

cross a bridge when one comes to it see under bridge¹

cross as two sticks

Particularly perverse and disagreeable

cross one's fingers or keep one's fingers crossed

To place one finger across another in the hope of ensuring good luck

cross one's heart (and hope to die)

To emphasize that one is being truthful by making the sign of a cross over one's heart

cross someone's lips

To be uttered by someone

cross someone's mind

To flash across someone's mind

cross someone's palm

To put a coin in someone's hand, as a payment

cross someone's path

1. To come in someone's way, to meet someone
2. To thwart someone

cross swords

To enter into a dispute (with)

on the cross

1. Diagonally
2. Dishonestly (slang)