crab
1. crab \'krab\ n [ME crabbe, fr. OE crabba; akin to OHG krebiz crab, OE
ceo]rfan to carve - more at CARVE 1: any of numerous chiefly marine broadly
built crustaceans : 1a: any of a tribe (Brachyura) with a short broad usu.
flattened carapace, a small abdomen that curls forward beneath the body,
short antennae, and the anterior pair of limbs modified as grasping pincers
1b: any of various other crustaceans resembling true crabs in the more or l
ess reduced condition of the abdomen 2: any of various machines for raising
or hauling heavy weights 3: failure to raise an oar clear of the water on
recovery of a stroke or mi ssing the water altogether when attempting a
stroke {catch a ~} 4: apparent sideways motion of an airplane headed into a
crosswind
2. crab vb or crabbed; or crab.bing 1: to cause to move sideways or in an
indirect or diagonal manner; spec if : to head (an airplane) by means of
the rudder into a crosswind to counteract drift 2: to subject to crabbing
1a1: to move sideways indirectly or diagonally 1a2: to crab an airplane
1b: to scuttle or scurry sideways like a crab 2: to fish for crabs -
crab.ber n
3. crab n [ME crabbe, perh. fr. crabbe 1crab] : CRABSTICK
4. crab vb or crabbed; or crab.bing [ME crabben, prob. back-formation fr.
crabbed] 1: to make sullen : SOUR 2: to complain about peevishly 3:
SPOIL, RUIN : CARP, GROUSE - crab.ber n
5. crab n : a sour ill-tempered person : CROSSPATCH