CRIO-SPHINX, kr[=i]'[=o]-sfingks, _n._ a ram-headed sphinx. [Gr. _krios_, a
ram, _sphingx_, a sphinx.]
CRIPPLE, krip'l, _n._ a lame person.--_adj._ lame.--_v.t._ to make lame: to
lame: disable, impair the efficiency of.--_ns._ CRIPP'LEDOM; CRIPP'LING, a
prop set up as a support against the side of a building. [A.S. _crypel_;
conn. with CREEP.]
CRISIS, kr[=i]'sis, _n._ point or time for deciding anything, the decisive
moment or turning-point:--_pl._ CRISES (kr[=i]'s[=e]z). [Gr. _krisis_, from
_krinein_, to separate.]
CRISP, krisp, _adj._ curling closely: having a wavy surface: so dry as to
be crumbled easily: brittle, or short, as 'crisp cakes,' &c.: fresh and
bracing, as 'crisp air:' firm, the opposite of limp or flabby, as a 'crisp
style' in writing.--_v.t._ to curl or twist: to make crisp or
wavy.--_adjs._ CRIS'P[=A]TE, -D, having a crisped or wavy
appearance.--_ns._ CRISP[=A]'TION; CRISP'ATURE, a curling; CRISP'ER, one
who or that which crisps; CRISP'ING-[=I]'RON, -PIN, a curling-iron.--_adv._
CRISP'LY.--_n._ CRISP'NESS.--_adj._ CRISP'Y. [A.S.,--L. _crispus_.]
CRISPIN, kris'pin, _n._ a shoemaker, from _Crispin_ of Soissons, the patron
saint of shoemakers, martyred 25th October 287.
CRISS-CROSS, kris'-kros, _n._ a mark formed by two lines in the form of a
cross, as the signature of a person unable to write his name: a child's
game played on a slate, the lines being drawn in the form of a
cross.--_v.i._ to intersect frequently.
CRISTATE, kris't[=a]t, _adj._ crested.--_n._ CRIS'TA, a crest.--_adjs._
CRIS'TIFORM; CRISTIM'ANOUS, having crested claws.
CRITERION, kr[=i]-t[=e]'ri-on, _n._ a means or standard of judging: a test:
a rule, standard, or canon:--_pl._ CRIT[=E]'RIA. [Gr., from _krit[=e]s_, a
judge.]
CRITH, krith, _n._ a chemical unit of mass for gases, the mass of one litre
of hydrogen. [Gr. _krith[=e]_, barley.]
CRITHOMANCY, krith'o-man-si, _n._ divination by the meal strewed over the
victims of sacrifice. [Gr. _krith[=e]_, barley, and _manteia_, divination.]
CRITIC, krit'ik, _n._ one skilled in estimating the quality of literary or
artistic work: a professional reviewer: one skilled in textual or biblical
criticism, literature, the fine arts, &c.: a fault-finder.--_adj._
CRIT'ICAL, relating to criticism: discriminating: captious:
decisive.--_adv._ CRIT'ICALLY.--_ns._ CRIT'ICALNESS, CRITICAL'ITY;
CRIT'ICASTER, CRIT'ICKIN, a petty critic.--_adj._ CRITIC[=I]S'ABLE.--_v.t._
CRIT'ICISE, to pass judgment on: to censure.--_ns._ CRIT'ICISM, the art of
judging, esp. in literature or the fine arts: a critical judgment or
observation; CRITIQUE (kri-t[=e]k'), a critical examination of any
production: a review.--CRITICAL ANGLE, the least angle of incidence at
which a ray is totally reflected; CRITICAL PHILOSOPHY, that of Kant as
based on a critical examination of the faculty of knowledge; CRITICAL
POINT, that temperature below which a substance may, and above which it
cannot, be liquefied by pressure alone.--HIGHER or HISTORICAL CRITICISM, as
distinguished from _Textual_ or _Verbal criticism_, the inquiry into the
composition, date, and authenticity of the books of Scripture, from
historical and literary considerations. [Gr. _kritikos_--_krinein_, to
judge.]
CROAK, kr[=o]k, _v.i._ to utter a low hoarse sound, as a frog or raven: to
grumble: to forebode evil: to utter croakingly: (_slang_) to die.--_n._ the
sound of a frog or raven.--_n._ CROAK'ER.--_adv._ CROAK'ILY.--_n._
CROAK'ING.--_adj._ CROAK'Y. [From the sound. Cf. CRAKE, CROW.]
CROAT, kr[=o]'at, _n._ a native of _Croatia_, esp. one serving as a soldier
in the Austrian army.
CROCEOUS, kr[=o]'shi-us, _adj._ saffron-coloured.
CROCHE, kr[=o]'she, _n._ one of the buds or knobs at the top of a deer's
horn. [Fr.]
CROCHET, kr[=o]'sh[=a], _n._ a kind of handiwork in fancy worsted, cotton,
or silk--an extensive system of looping, by means of a small hook.--_v.i._
to do such work. [Fr. _crochet_--_croche_, _croc_, a hook.]
CROCIDOLITE, kro-sid'o-l[=i]t, _n._ a mineral consisting mainly of silicate
of iron, in asbestos-like fibres. [From Gr. _krokis_, _-idos_, cloth, and
_lithos_, stone.]
CROCK, krok, _n._ a pot or jar.--_n._ CROCK'ERY, earthenware: vessels
formed of baked clay. [A.S. _croc_; Ger. _krug_; perh. of Celt. origin, as
in W. _crochan_, a pot, Gael. _krogan_, a pitcher.]
CROCK, krok, _n._ dirt, smut.--_v.i._ to dirty.
CROCK, krok, _n._ an old ewe: an old horse. [Cf. Norw. and Sw. _krake_, a
poor beast.]
CROCKET, krok'et, _n._ (_archit._) an ornament on the angles of spires,
canopies, &c., like curled leaves or flowers.
CROCODILE, krok'o-d[=i]l, _n._ a genus of large amphibious saurian
reptiles, including the crocodile of the Nile, and also the alligators and
gavials.--_adj._ and _n._ CROCODIL'IAN.--_n._ CROCODIL'ITY, captious
arguing.--CROCODILE TEARS, affected tears, hypocritical grief--from the old
story that crocodiles (which have large lachrymal glands) shed tears over
the hard necessity of killing animals for food. [O. Fr. _cocodrille_--L.
_crocodilus_--Gr. _krokodeilos_, a lizard.]
CROCUS, kr[=o]'kus, _n._ a bulbous plant with brilliant yellow or purple
flowers: (_slang_) a quack doctor. [L. _crocus_--Gr. _krokos_; prob. of
Eastern origin, as Heb. _karkom_, and Ar. _kurkum_, saffron.]
CROFT, kroft, _n._ a small piece arable land adjoining a dwelling: a kind
of small farm.--_ns._ CROFT'ER; CROFT'ING. [A.S. _croft_; perh. cog. with
Dut. _kroft_, or with Gael. _croit_.]
CROISSANT. Same as CRESCENT.
CROMA, kr[=o]'ma, _n._ (_mus._) an eighth note, or quaver.--Also CROME.
CROME, kr[=o]m, CROMB, kr[=oo]m, _n._ a hook or crook.--_v.t._ to draw with
such. [Cf. Dut. _kram_.]
CROMLECH, krom'lek, _n._ a term applied in Brittany to a group of standing
stones, a stone circle: formerly applied to a dolmen, with which it is
still sometimes confounded in England (see DOLMEN). [W. _cromlech_--_crom_,
curved, circular, and _llech_, a stone.]
CROMORNA, kr[=o]-mor'na, _n._ a clarinet-like reed-stop in an organ.
[Fr.,--Ger. _krummhorn_.]
CRONE, kr[=o]n, _n._ an old woman, usually in contempt--sometimes an old
man. [Perh. O. Fr. _carogne_, a crabbed woman; or Celt., as in Ir. _crion_,
withered.]
CRONET, kr[=o]'net, _n._ the hair growing over the top of a horse's hoof.