CREAK, kr[=e]k, _v.i._ to make a sharp, grating sound, as of a hinge,
&c.--_n._ a grating noise, as of an unoiled hinge.--_adv._
CREAK'ILY.--_adj._ CREAK'Y. [From the sound, like _crake_ and _croak_.]
CREAM, kr[=e]m, _n._ the oily substance which forms on milk, yielding
butter when churned: the best part of anything: any cream-like preparation,
as _cold cream_ for the skin, &c., or any dish largely made of cream, or
like cream, as _chocolate-cream_, _ice-cream_, _whipped-cream_, &c.--_v.t._
to take off the cream.--_v.i._ to gather or form cream.--_ns._ CREAM'-CAKE,
a kind of cake filled with custard made of cream, &c.; CREAM'-CHEESE,
cheese made of cream.--_adj._ CREAM'-COL'OURED, of the colour of cream,
light yellow.--_n._ CREAM'ERY, an establishment where butter and cheese are
made from the milk supplied by a number of producers: a shop for milk,
butter, &c.--_adj._ CREAM'-FACED, pale-faced.--_ns._ CREAM'-FRUIT, the
fruit of a creeping West African plant of the dogbane family, yielding a
cream-like juice; CREAM'INESS.--_adj._ CREAM'-LAID, of a cream-colour and
laid, or bearing linear water-lines as if laid.--_ns._ CREAM'-NUT, the
Brazil nut; CREAM'-SLICE, a wooden blade for skimming cream from
milk.--_adjs._ CREAM'-WOVE, woven of a cream-colour; CREAM'Y, full of or
like cream: gathering like cream.--CREAM OF TARTAR, a white crystalline
compound made by purifying argol, bitartrate of potash. [O. Fr. _cresme_,
_creme_--L. _chrisma_.]
CREANCE, kr[=e]'ans, _n._ the cord which secures the hawk while being
trained. [Fr.]
CREANT, kr[=e]'ant, _adj._ creating: formative.
CREASE, kr[=e]s, _n._ a mark made by folding or doubling anything:
(_cricket_) a line indicating the boundaries of a particular space, as the
position of a batter and bowler.--_v.t._ to make creases in
anything.--_v.i._ to become creased.--_adj._ CREAS'Y, full of creases.
[Prob. Celt., as Bret. _kr[=i]z_, &c.]
CREASE. See CREESE.
CREASOTE. See CREOSOTE.
CREATE, kr[=e]-[=a]t', _v.t._ to bring into being or form out of nothing:
to beget: to form: to invest with a new form, office, or character: to
produce.--_adj._ CRE[=A]T'ABLE.--_n._ CRE[=A]'TION, the act of creating,
esp. the universe: that which is created, the world, the universe.--_adj._
CRE[=A]'TIONAL.--_ns._ CRE[=A]'TIONISM, the theory of special creation,
opp. to _Evolutionism_: the theory that God immediately creates a soul for
every human being born--opp. to _Traducianism_; CRE[=A]'TIONIST.--_adj._
CRE[=A]'TIVE, having power to create: that creates.--_adv._
CRE[=A]'TIVELY.--_ns._ CRE[=A]'TIVENESS; CRE[=A]'TOR, he who creates: a
maker:--_fem._ CRE[=A]'TRIX, CRE[=A]'TRESS; CRE[=A]'TORSHIP.--_adjs._
CREA'TURAL, CREA'TURELY, pertaining to a creature or thing created.--_ns._
CREATURE (kr[=e]'t[=u]r), whatever has been created, animate or inanimate,
esp. every animated being, an animal, a man: a term of contempt or of
endearment: a dependent, instrument, or puppet; CREA'TURESHIP.--THE
CREATOR, the Supreme Being, God.--CREATURE COMFORTS, material comforts,
food, &c.: liquor, esp. whisky. [L. _cre[=a]re_, _-[=a]tum_; Gr.
_krain-ein_, to fulfil.]
CREATINE, kr[=e]'a-tin, _n._ a constant and characteristic constituent of
the striped muscle of vertebrates--also KRE'ATINE.--_adj._ CREAT'IC,
relating to flesh.--_n._ CRE'ATININE, dehydrated form, a constant
constituent of urine, found also in fish muscles. [Gr. _kreas_, _kreatos_,
flesh.]
CRÈCHE, kresh, _n._ a sort of public nursery for children, while their
mothers are at work. [Fr.]
CREDENCE, kr[=e]'dens, _n._ belief: trust: the small table beside the altar
on which the bread and wine are placed before being consecrated.--_n._
CREDEN'DUM, a thing to be believed, an act of faith:--_pl._
CREDENDA.--_adjs._ CR[=E]'DENT, easy of belief; CREDEN'TIAL, giving a title
to belief or credit.--_n._ that which entitles to credit or confidence:
(_pl._) esp. the letters by which one claims confidence or authority among
strangers.--_ns._ CREDIBIL'ITY, CRED'IBLENESS.--_adj._ CREDIBLE (kred'-),
that may be believed.--_adv._ CRED'IBLY.--_n._ CRED'IT, belief: esteem:
reputation: honour: good character: sale on trust: time allowed for
payment: the side of an account on which payments received are entered: a
sum placed at a person's disposal in a bank on which he may draw to its
amount.--_v.t._ to believe: to trust: to sell or lend to on trust: to enter
on the credit side of an account: to set to the credit of.--_adj._
CRED'ITABLE, trustworthy: bringing credit or honour.--_n._
CRED'ITABLENESS.--_adv._ CRED'ITABLY.--_ns._ CRED'ITOR, one to whom a debt
is due:--_fem._ CRED'ITRIX; CR[=E]'DO, the Creed, or a musical setting of
it for church services; CRED[=U]'LITY, credulousness: disposition to
believe on insufficient evidence.--_adj._ CRED'ULOUS, easy of belief: apt
to believe without sufficient evidence: unsuspecting.--_adv._
CRED'ULOUSLY.--_ns._ CRED'ULOUSNESS; CREED, a summary of articles of
religious belief, esp. those called the Apostles', Nicene, and Athanasian:
any system of belief. [Fr.,--Low L. _credentia_--L. _credent-_, believing,
pr.p. of _cred[)e]re_.]
CREEK, kr[=e]k, _n._ a small inlet or bay of the sea, or the tidal estuary
of a river: any turn or winding: in America and Australia, a small
river.--_adj._ CREEK'Y, full of creeks: winding. [Prob. Scand., Ice.
_kriki_, a nook; cf. Dut. _kreek_, a bay.]
CREEL, kr[=e]l, _n._ a basket, esp. an angler's basket. [Prob. Celt; cf.
Old Ir. _criol_, a chest.]
CREEP, kr[=e]p, _v.i._ to move on the belly, like a snake: to move slowly:
to grow along the ground or on supports, as a vine: to fawn or cringe: to
have the physical sensation of something creeping over or under the skin:
to shudder at from fear or repugnance: to drag with a creeper, as a
river-bottom:--_pr.p._ creep'ing; _pa.t._ and _pa.p._ crept.--_ns._
CREEP'ER, a creeping plant: a genus of small climbing birds; CREEP'-HOLE, a
hole into which to creep: a subterfuge; CREEP'IE, a low stool, the old
Scotch stool of repentance.--_adv._ CREEP'INGLY.--_adj._ CREEP'Y. [A.S.
_creópan_; Dut. _kruipen_.]
CREESE, CREASE, kr[=e]s, _n._ a Malay dagger with a wavy blade--also
KRIS.--_v.t._ to stab with a creese.
CREESH, kr[=e]sh, _v.t._ (_Scot._) to grease.--_n._ grease.--_adj._
CREESH'Y. [O. Fr. _craisse_--L. _crassus_, fat.]
CREMAILLERE, kre-mal-y[=a]r', _n._ a line of fortification built zigzag to
give wider range in firing. [Fr.]
CREMATION, krem-[=a]'shun, _n._ act of burning, esp. of the dead.--_v.t._
CREMATE'.--_ns._ CREM[=A]'TIONIST, one who advocates cremation; CREMAT'OR,
CREMAT[=O]R'IUM, CREM'ATORY, a place where cremation is done.--_adj._
CREMAT[=O]R'IAL. [L.,--_crem[=a]re_, to burn.]
CREMONA, krem-[=o]'na, _n._ a superior kind of violin made at _Cremona_ in
Italy.--_adj._ CREMONESE'.
CREMOR, kr[=e]'mor, _n._ thick juice.
CREMOSIN, krem'[=o]-zin, _n._ crimson (_Spens._).
CRENATE, -D, kr[=e]'n[=a]t, -ed, _adj._ (_bot._) having the edge
notched.--_ns._ CR[=E]'NA, a furrow or notch; CREN[=A]'TION;
CREN'ATURE.--_adjs._ CREN'ULATE, -D, finely notched or crenate. [L.
_crena_, a notch.]
CRENEL, kren'el, CRENELLE, kre-nel', _n._ (_archit._) an opening in a
parapet for shooting through: a battlement--dim. CREN'ELET.--_n._ CRENAUX
(kr[=e]'n[=o]), crenellations or loopholes in a fortress.--_v.t._
CREN'ELLATE.--_adjs._ CRENELL[=A]T'ED, furnished with battlements:
indented.--_n._ CRENELL[=A]'TION.--_adjs._ CRENELLE' (_her._), embattled;
CRENELLED', having embrasures. [Fr.,--Low L. _crena_, a notch.]
CREOLE, kr[=e]'[=o]l, _n._ and _adj._ strictly applied in the former
Spanish, French, and Portuguese colonies of America, Africa, and the East
Indies to natives of pure European blood (_sangre azul_), in opposition to
immigrants themselves born in Europe, or to the offspring of mixed blood,
as mulattoes, quadroons, Eurasians, &c.: (_U.S._) applied only to the
native French stock in Louisiana: a negro born in the West Indies--earlier
CRE[=O]'LIAN. [Fr. _créole_--Sp. _criollo_, contr. of _criadillo_, 'a
little nursling,' dim. of _criado_--_criar_, lit. to create, also to bring
up, to nurse--L. _cre[=a]re_.]
CREOPHAGOUS, kr[=e]-of'a-gus, _adj._ flesh-eating. [Gr. _kreas_, flesh,
_phagein_, to eat.]
CREOSOTE, kr[=e]'o-s[=o]t, CREASOTE, kr[=e]'a-s[=o]t, _n._ an oily,
colourless liquid obtained from the tar produced by the destructive
distillation of wood. [Gr. _kreas_, flesh, _s[=o]t[=e]r_,
saviour--_s[=o]z-ein_, to save.]
CREPANCE, kr[=e]'pans, _n._ a wound on a horse's hind ankle-joint, caused
by striking with the shoe of the other hind-foot.--Also CR[=E]'PANE. [L.
_crep[=a]re_, to break.]