crotchety 
Crotchety (kroch'ct-i), rt. [< rrntrlii -t + -i/'.| 
Churucteri/.ed by odd fancies or crotchets; 
fantastic or eccentric in thought; whimsical. 
Tills "ill pllil-i- I hi- i-fi,li-lnlll l-adiculM. 
Xiii unlay Her., Feb. 4, 1SG5. 
If you sho\v \niii-M-lt' i-rn ntrii ill iii;imi'T> or <lrc*s. tin- 
worlil . . . will not listen to you. Vim will IN 
118 crittclttti/ unil impractiiMl'li . 
//. ,S'/'ii<vr, Cniv. I'rog., I". !W. 
crotet, crottt. . [< ME. crote, croote, < OF. 
i-ntit; ci-nlli; !'. i-mtlf. (= Pr. crotii), mud, dirt, 
dung.] 1. A clod. 
Crote itl ;\ turfe. gleuicllla. I'nniifit. I'nrr. 
2. Dung; excrement. 
CrotOU (kro'ton), . [NL., < Or. KI>OTUV or np6- 
TUV, a tick, also the shrub bearing the castor- 
berry, which was thought to resemble a tick.] 
1. A genus of etiphorbiaceous plants, compris- 
ing about 500 species, natives of warm and espe- 
cially of tropical regions, many of which possess 
important medicinal properties. O.A./I 7Wn,,,, 
a native of several parts of the East Indies, poweuea 
in c,7 
crotonylen (kro-ton'i-len), ii. [< croton + -yl 
+ -<.] A gaseous hydrocarbon (C^Hy) found 
in illuminating gas. It can be separated as a 
solid by cold and compression. 
Crotophaga (kro-tof'a-gji), . [N'L., short for 
'Crotonophaga, < Or. n/xrrtn> or uparuv, a tick, 
+ faytlv, eat.] The typical and only genus of 
birds of the subfamily C'rotophagiitiv. ihe lead 
ing specie* are C. am' anil C. nticirtutrit, Imlh of which 
i in the I' nlted states and the wanner parti of Amer- 
ica L'l-Nl-I.l]l> . Set nn< 
Crotophaginae (kro-tof-a-ji'ue), u. j>l. [NL., < 
Orotopkaga + -MMK] A" subfamily of Cuculida, 
peculiar to America; the anis or keel-billed 
cuckoos. They have a long tall of only eight graduated 
feathers, and an extmm-ly i-oin[iresed lull. The upper 
mandible rises into a high, slurp i-rent or keel with vi-ri 
i -niivex profile, its sides DOBg usually suluate, and its tip 
Flowering Branch of Croton Tiflium. 
a, section of stamlnate flower ; f>. section of pistillate flower. 
most active and dangerous purgative properties ; every 
part wood, leaves, and fruit seeing to participate equal- 
ly in the energy. Croton-oil is extracted from the seeds 
of this species, which are of alH>ut the size anil shape 
of field-beau*. C. Klruterin, of the liahamas, yields cas- 
carillu bark. (See autariUa.) C. nimu yields a similar 
aromatic hitter hark, known as copalche bark. Home 
other species are used on account of their aromatic and 
balsamic properties, or for their resinous products. 
2. [/.('.] A foliage-plant of the genus Codurum : 
so named by florists. _ Croton-chloral hydrate 
(so named because formerly believed to IK? related to cro- 
tonic acid), more properly called butyl-chloral hydrate. It 
forms crystalline scales having a pungent odor, little solu- 
ble in cold water, easily soluble in alcohol and glycerin. 
It is somewhat used in medicine for cephalic neuralgia. 
crotonate (kro'ton-at), n. [< crotoii(ic) + -ate 1 .] 
In diem., a salt formed by the union of crotonic 
acid with a base. 
croton-bug (kro 'ton -bug), . [< Croton (in 
reference to the Croton aqueduct, from the 
Croton river in Westchester 
county, New York, to the 
city of New York; perhaps 
because they became abun- 
dant inxNew York about 
the time that Croton water 
was introduced (1842), or 
because they were supposed 
to have come through the 
water-pipes) + buft.~\ A 
common name in the United 
States for various kinds 
of roaches which live in 
houses, especially the Blat- 
ta (I'cripliiiii'tii) orii'iititlifi 
and B. germanica, both im- 
ported species. 
crotone (kro - to ' ne), n. 
[NL., < Gr. uporuv, a tick.] 
1. A fungous excrescence 
on trees, caused by an in- c 5*SSf 
sect. Hence 2. Inpathol., 
a small fungous excrescence on the periosteum. 
crotottic (kro-ton'ik), . [< criitnii + -ic.] Per- 
taining to or derived from plants of the genus 
t'rotnu. Crotonic acid, i^HnO.j, an acid discovctvii 
by IVlletier and Caveiitou in the seeds of the plant Cratoii 
Tii.iliitiii. ami ol'tiiinahle from crotou-oil. It has a pun- 
Kent and nan" .. us smell and a burning taste, and is very 
Unisonous. It* salts JUT tormi'il <v<'/"/mf-'v 
crotonin, crotonine (kro'ton-in), H. [< croton 
+ -in-. -/('-'.] A vegeto-alkali found in the 
seeds of Crnttiii Tii/liinii. 
croton-oil (kr<V toil-oil'). . A vegetable oil 
expressed from I he 1 seeds of the Croton Tiiiliiun. 
See ('niton. It i a valuable article of the nuteria 
medit-;i. ami is so stron-ly pm-L'ntivr tlmt oni- drop is a 
ilii-M-. \Vlu-n applied i-xltinalh it muses irritation ;nnl 
>ilppnr:ition. U is of i^rt-at service in CJIM-S \\ here othi'r 
purgatives fail. 
Is deflected. The plumage Is of a uniform lustrous black. 
Die feathers of the head and neck are lengthened and 
lanceolate, with distinct scale-like margins; the face is 
miked. Tlit-re is lint one genus, Crotophaffa. Hee ani. 
crottles 1 (krot'lz), n. jil. [< ME. erotel; dim. of 
crote, q. v.] 1. Crumbs. [Prov. Eng.] 2. 
Dung; excrement, as of the sheep, goat, or linn-. 
crottles 2 (krot'lz), n.pl. [< Gael, crotnl, also Cre- 
tan, a general name for lichens, especially those 
used for dyeing.] A name given in Scotland 
and in some parts of England to various spe- 
cies of lichens used in dyeing, distinguished as 
black, brown, white, etc., crottles. Under this name 
are included Pariite-lia phytode*, P. caperata, P. mxatilix, 
Sticta pulmmiaria, and Lecanora jialtcsccn*. 
crouch 1 (krouch), v. [Also dial, crooch; < ME. 
crouchen, crucchen (for "cruchen f ), unassibilated 
crouken, crouch, bend ; a var. of croken, crook, 
bend, the unusual change of vowel (6 to u = ou) 
being due perhaps to the influence of crouchen, 
cross (see crouclfi), or of crucche, crutch (see 
crutch*). Cf. crutch^.] I. intrans. 1. To bend; 
stoop low ; lie or stoop close to the ground, as 
an animal in preparing to spring or from fear : 
as, a dog crouches to his master; a Uoncrot<cAe 
in the thicket. 
You know the voice, and now crouch like a cur 
Ta'en worrying sheep. 
Fletcher (and another), Love's Cure. 
There crouch, . . . 
Lit by the sole lamp suffered for their sake, 
Two awe-struck figures. 
Broirniiitf, Ring and Hook, I. 4<i. 
2. To bow or stoop servilely; make slavish 
obeisance; fawn; cringe. 
Every one that is left in thine house shall come atid 
crouch to him for a piece of silver. 1 Sam. ii. 30. 
Other mercenaries, that crouch n n t < > him in fear of hell, 
though they term themselves the servants, are indeed but 
the slaves of the Almighty. 
Sir T. Broirnt, Religio Medici, i. 52. 
On the other side was a great native population, help- 
less, timid, accustomed to crouch under oppression. 
Macaulay, Warren Hastings. 
II. trans. To bend or cause to bend low, as 
if for concealment, or in fear or abasement. 
[Rare.] 
She folded her arms across her chest. 
And crouched her head upon her breast, 
And looked askance at *'hristal>el. 
Coierulgf, Christaliel, 11. 
crouch'-'t (krouch), w. [< ME. crouche, cniche, a 
cross: see eras* 1 , n., etym. (3).] A cross; a 
crucifix ; the sign of the cross ; the cross on a 
coin, or the coin itself. See cnw* 1 , n. 
In ye honour of ihesll cryst of heuene, and of his inodir 
seynte marie, and of alle holy halwyn, and specialeke of 
ye exaltacion of ye holy crouche. 
Knglith (iildi (E. E. T. S.), p. 54. 
crouch 2 t (krouch), r.t. [< ME.crourhen,cruclirn, 
cross, etc. : see cross 1 , r., etym. (3).] To sign 
with the cross ; bless. 
I crouche thee from elves and from wightes. 
Chaucer, Miller's Tale, 1. *K\. 
crouchback (krouch'bak), n. Same as crook- 
back. 
crouch-clay (krouch'kla), H. An old name for 
tin 1 white Oerliyshire clay. 
crouched} (krouch'ed), ]>. a. [Pp. of crouch^, .] 
Marked with, bearing, or weanug the sign of 
the cross. Crouched friars. Same as crutc hedfriart 
(which see. under friar). 
CrOUChie(krou'chi),n. [Dim. of crouch' 1 .] Hav- 
ing a humpback; hunchbacked. [Scotch.] 
Crouchic Mt-rran Humphie. ZJiinw, Halloween. 
crouchmast, . [< ME. erou < 'In /<* . < crotcclit. 
crouche, cross, + mow, mass. Cf. Christmas, 
etc.] Rogation week. See rogation. 
Ye ferde | fourth meeting] schalben on ye Sunday after 
rriiiivhfinew dai. Klvlluh Gil'!.- t I. I . I s.), p. 119. 
crouch-ware (krouch'war), n. 1. A kind of 
line pottery made with an admixture of pipe- 
clny in Staffordshire. It is well finished, and its 
paste is very dense. The earliest crouch-ware 
crouse 
was of a greenish tint. >'/<. The Old Kng. 
Potter, p. 154. 2. A name given to the salt- 
glazed stoneware made at Hui>lem in StutTord- 
sliire from a very curly time, this lieing the ear- 
liest wart* of that description made in England. 
croud't, ". An obsolete form of crouJcf*. Npenstr. 
croud-t, . [Also written croudc, crovde, < OF. 
croute, crotf, < L. cryptii, a crypt: see cryjit, nnd 
cf . crude (a var. of croud), and yrot, grotto. ] The 
crypt of a church. 
crouger (krou'gfer), n. A local English (War- 
wicSsliirc) name of the iTiii-i:in-i-:ir|i. 
crouket, . [ME.: see crock 1 , ctyin. (3).] An 
earthen vessel ; a crock, f'/mm-i;-. 
croup 1 (krop), n. [Introduced from 8c. (by 
Francis Home, an Edinburgh physician, in a 
treatise on croup, in 1765); Sc. croup, crui>]i, < 
croup, croir/i. mi/ii; crojie, croak, cry or speak 
with a hoarse voice; prob. imitative, and 111 KO 
far related to Sc. roui>, cry out, cry hoarsely, 
rouji, n., hoarseness, also croup. Hence (from 
E.) F. rroii]i. See rou/i 1 and ro<i/>.~] A name ap- 
plied to a variety of diseases in which there is 
some interference at the glottis with respira- 
tion. True or utriiilirft HIHM crottfi is inflammation of the 
larynx (laryngitis) with flbrlnoiis exudation forming a 
false membrane. Many if not all cases of true croup are 
diphtheritic in nature, f'alte crimp is simple or calarrhal 
laryngitis, not resulting In the formation of a membrane, 
but inducing at times spasm of the glottis. Si*atHW<lic 
croup, or lanjiujumui ttridulu*. is a nervous affection 
characterized by attacks of laryngeal spasm independent 
of local irritation : popularly called cnnciny ciinrulrivtu. 
croup- (krop), n. [Also dial, crtiji, early mod. 
E. also croope, < ME. croupe, < OF. croupe, F. 
croupe, the croup, rump: of Scand. origin: see 
crop. Hence ult. crupper.'} 1. The rump or 
buttocks of certain animals, especially of a 
horse ; hence, the place behind the saddle. 
This cartcre thakketh his hors upon the croupe. 
Chaucer, Friar's Tale, 1. 261. 
So light to the croupe the fair lady he swung, 
So light to the saddle before her he sprung '. 
Scott, Young Lochinvar. 
2f. A hump or hunch on an animal's body. 
croupade (Kro -pad'), w. [F., < croupe, the 
haunch: see crM 2 .] In the manege, aleap in 
which the horse draws up his hind legs toward 
the belly, without showing his shoes. 
croupal (kro'pal), a. [< croup 1 + -al.~\ Per- 
taining to or of the nature of croup ; croupous : 
as, croupal dyspno?a. 
He thought acute croujjol cases unsuitable for operation. 
Mniical Xewi, XUX. 53. 
crouper (kro'per), ii. Same as crupjter, 2. 
croupier (kro pi-er), n. [F. croupier, a partner 
or assistant at a gaming-table, < F. croupe, the 
rump or hinder part (the principal taking the 
croupier, as it were, behind him).] 1 . One who 
collects the money at a gaming-table. 2. One 
who at a public dinner-party sits at the lower 
end of the table, as assistant chairman. 
Sir James Mackintosh . . . presided ; Cranstoun was 
croupier. Coatimrn, Memorials, vi. 
croupifcre (kro-pi-Sr'), . [F.: see crupper.] 
Armor for the croup of a horse. See Sara 2 . 
CTOUpiness (krp'pi-ues), n. The state of being 
croupy or having a tendency to croup. 
croupous (kro'pus), a. [< croup 1 + -ous.] In 
patlml., pertaining to, of the nature of, or re- 
sembling croup; involving the formation of a 
false membrane on a mucous surface Croup- 
OU8 inflammation, inflammation attended with the for- 
mation on a nun-mis surface of a nbrinous meinbranlfonn 
exudation, which can ! easily stripped off from the un- 
derlying tissues. 
Croujtous or superficial diphtheritic iitjtani motion of the 
larynx or trachea. Therapeutic Gazette, XI. 348. 
Croupous pneumonia, lobar pneumonia. See pneu- 
HHinia. 
croupy (kro'pi), a. [< croup 1 + -y l .~\ 1. Per- 
taining to or resembling croup. 2. Affected 
with or predisposed to croup ; also, somewhat 
sick with croup; having false croup: as, a 
croupy child. 
crouse (krus), a. [Also written rroux, crotcse, 
rrnirne, < ME. crous, eras, bold, indignant, prob. 
= MD. krui/s, kroes, D. krocs, cross, lit. crisp, 
curled, = LG. krus = G. krans = Dan. Sw. 7.-rw. 
(in comp.), crisp, curled: see curl. A similar 
change of sense from 'curled, crisp,' to 'brisk, 
lively,' appears in crixp.] Brisk; frisky: full 
of heart; self-satisfied; appearing courageous ; 
saucy. [Prov. Eng. and Scotch.] 
Yet. for all his cracking croiue, 
He rewil the raid o' the Keidswire. 
Haiti o' the Rridnrirc (Child's liallads, VI. 133). 
Crawing, crawiug. 
For my cnnnte erawing. 
I lost the best feather i my wing. 
Burning o/ Auchindoim (Child s Baluvls, VI. 101> 
