— crest·ed adjective

— crest·less adjective

2crest verb 1 : CROWN

2 : to reach the crest of

3 : to rise to a crest

crest·fall·en adjective : feeling shame or humiliation; also : feeling low in spirit : DISPIRITED, DEJECTED

Cre·ta·ceous adjective : of, relating to, or being the latest period of the Mesozoic era marked by great increase in flowering plants, diversification of mammals, and extinction of the dinosaurs

— Cretaceous noun

cre·tin noun [ORIGIN: F crétin, fr. F dial. cretin, lit., wretch, innocent victim, fr. L christianus Christian]

1 : one affected with cretinism

2 : a stupid, vulgar, or insensitive person

Synonyms

blockhead, dodo, dolt, donkey, dope, dummy, dunce, fathead, goon, half-wit, idiot, imbecile, jackass, moron, nitwit, numskull, simpleton, stock, turkey—more at IDIOT

cre·tin·ism noun : a usu. congenital abnormal condition characterized by physical stunting and mental retardation

cre·tonne noun : a strong unglazed cotton cloth for curtains and upholstery

cre·vasse noun : a deep fissure esp. in a glacier

crev·ice noun : a narrow fissure

Synonyms

chink, cleft, crack, cranny, fissure, rift, split—more at CRACK

2crew noun [ORIGIN: ME crue, fr. MF, a reinforcement, lit., increase, fr. croistre to grow, fr. L crescere]

1 : a body of people trained to work together for certain purposes

2 : a group of people who operate a ship, train, aircraft, or spacecraft

3 : the rowers and coxswain of a racing shell; also : the sport of rowing engaged in by a crew

— crew·man noun

Synonyms

band, company, gang, outfit, party, squad, team—more at GANG

crew cut noun : a very short bristly haircut

crew·el noun : slackly twisted worsted yarn used for embroidery

— crew·el·work noun

1crib noun 1 : a manger for feeding animals

2 : a child's bedstead with high sides

3 : a building or bin for storage (as of grain)

4 : something used for cheating in an exam

2crib verb cribbed; crib·bing 1 : to put in a crib

2 : STEAL, PLAGIARIZE

— crib·ber noun

crib·bage noun : a card game usu. played by two players and scored on a board (cribbage board)

crib death noun : SUDDEN INFANT DEATH SYNDROME

crick noun : a painful spasm of muscles (as of the neck)

1cricket noun [ORIGIN: ME criket, fr. AF, of imit. origin]

: any of a family of leaping insects related to the grasshoppers and noted for the chirping noises of the male

2cricket noun [ORIGIN: MF criquet goal stake in a bowling game]

: a game played with a bat and ball by two teams on a field centering upon two wickets each defended by a batsman

cri·er noun : one who calls out proclamations and announcements

crime noun 1 : a serious offense against the public law

2 : something reprehensible, foolish, or disgraceful

Synonyms

[1] breach, error, malefaction, misdeed, misdoing, offense, sin, transgression, trespass, violation, wrongdoing—more at OFFENSE

[2] disgrace, outrage, pity, scandal, shame, sin

1criminal adjective 1 : involving or being a crime

2 : relating to crime or its punishment

— crim·i·nal·i·ty noun

— crim·i·nal·ly adverb

Synonyms

illegal, illegitimate, illicit, unlawful, wrongful—more at ILLEGAL

2criminal noun : one who has committed a crime

Synonyms

crook, culprit, felon, lawbreaker, malefactor, offender; also desperado, outlaw; convict, jailbird; perpetrator; evildoer, sinner, transgressor, trespasser, wrongdoer; gangster, gunman, hoodlum, mobster, racketeer, thug; backslider, repeater

crim·i·nol·o·gy noun : the scientific study of crime and criminals

— crim·i·nol·o·gist noun

1crimp verb : to cause to become crinkled, wavy, or bent

2crimp noun 1 : something (as a curl in hair) produced by or as if by crimping

2 : a bend or crease formed in something

3 : something that cramps or inhibits

Synonyms

[2] crease, crinkle, furrow, wrinkle—more at WRINKLE

[3] bar, block, chain, clog, embarrassment, encumbrance, fetter, handicap, hindrance, inhibition, interference, let, manacle, obstacle, shackle,