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HOW TO PRONOUNCE

crow

/kɹoʊ/

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American Pronunciation Guide · 1:05
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What does crow mean?

noun

  1. A bird, usually black, of the genus Corvus, having a strong conical beak, with projecting bristles; it has a harsh, croaking call.
  2. Any of various dark-coloured nymphalid butterflies of the genus Euploea.
  3. A bar of iron with a beak, crook or claw; a bar of iron used as a lever; a crowbar.
More meanings (16)

noun

  1. The mesentery of an animal.
  2. (slang) The emblem of an eagle, a sign of military rank.
  3. The cry or call of a rooster or a cockerel, especially as heard at sunrise.
  4. Alternative spelling of cro (“marijuana”).
  5. A member of a Native American tribe of southern Montana.
  6. (archaic, slang) Someone who keeps watch while their associates commit a crime; a lookout.
  7. (historical) A gangplank (corvus) used by the Ancient Roman navy to board enemy ships.
  8. (derogatory) An ill-tempered and obstinate woman, or one who otherwise has features resembling the bird; a harpy.
  9. (offensive, slang) A black person.

adjective

  1. Dark black, the color of a crow; crow-black.

verb

  1. To use a crowbar, wedge, or other implement to attempt to open a surface by leveraging force on the opposite end of the tool to pry off the connection between the two surfaces.
  2. To make the shrill sound characteristic of a rooster; to make a sound in this manner, either in gaiety, joy, pleasure, or defiance.
  3. To shout in exultation or defiance; to brag.
  4. To test the reed of a double reed instrument by placing the reed alone in the mouth and blowing it.

proper noun

  1. The Siouan language of this tribe.
  2. A surname.

Definitions regrouped for readability · CC BY-SA 4.0

IPA pronunciation

/kɹoʊ/

Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0

Pronunciation varies by speaker and region. About these dictionary pronunciations.

In the pages of books

See this word in context.

Hepzibah’s final operation was with the little devourer of Jim Crow and the elephant, who now proposed to eat a camel.
Nathaniel HawthorneThe House of the Seven GablesProject Gutenberg ebook #77
On the table by him sat Fritz von Tarlenheim, pale as a ghost and black as a crow under the eyes.
Anthony HopeThe prisoner of ZendaProject Gutenberg ebook #95
More book examples (3)
I protest I take these wise men, that crow so at these set kind of fools, no better than the fools’ zanies.
William ShakespeareThe Complete Works of William ShakespeareProject Gutenberg ebook #100
Crows are, as you must know, our most intelligent birds.--'Wise as an old crow' did not become a saying without good reason.
Ernest Thompson SetonWild Animals I Have KnownProject Gutenberg ebook #3031
It made all the motions of pecking, strutted about, flapped its wings, attempted to crow, but, of course, without making any sound.
George M. (George Milbrey) Gould; Walter L. (Walter Lytle) PyleAnomalies and Curiosities of MedicineProject Gutenberg ebook #747