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crook

UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈkrʊk/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/krʊk/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(krŏŏk)


WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
crook1 /krʊk/USA pronunciation   n. [countable]
  1. an instrument having a bent or curved part, such as a shepherd's staff hooked at one end;
    hook.
  2. the curved part of the inside of the arm when the elbow is bent:I held the baby in the crook of my left arm.
  3. a bend or curve:Turn left at the crook in the road ahead.
  4. a dishonest person, esp. a swindler or thief.

v. 
  1. to bend;
    curve: [~ + object]The manager crooked his finger and invited us in.[no object]The road crooked to the left.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
crook1  (krŏŏk),USA pronunciation n. 
  1. a bent or curved implement, piece, appendage, etc.;
    hook.
  2. the hooked part of anything.
  3. an instrument or implement having a bent or curved part, as a shepherd's staff hooked at one end or the crosier of a bishop or abbot.
  4. a dishonest person, esp. a sharper, swindler, or thief.
  5. a bend, turn, or curve:a crook in the road.
  6. the act of crooking or bending.
  7. a pothook.
  8. Music and DanceAlso called shank. a device on some musical wind instruments for changing the pitch, consisting of a piece of tubing inserted into the main tube.

v.t. 
  1. to bend;
    curve;
    make a crook in.
  2. Slang Termsto steal, cheat, or swindle:She crooked a ring from that shop.

v.i. 
  1. to bend;
    curve.
  • Old Norse krāka hook
  • Middle English crok(e) 1125–75

crook2  (krŏŏk),USA pronunciation adj. [Australian.]
  1. British Termssick or feeble.
  2. British Termsill-humored;
    angry.
  3. British Termsout of order;
    functioning improperly.
  4. British Termsunsatisfactory;
    disappointing.
  • perh. alteration of cronk 1875–80

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
crook /krʊk/ n
  1. a curved or hooked thing
  2. a staff with a hooked end, such as a bishop's crosier or shepherd's staff
  3. a turn or curve; bend
  4. informal a dishonest person, esp a swindler or thief
 vb
  1. to bend or curve or cause to bend or curve
 adj
  1. Austral NZ informal
    • ill
    • of poor quality
    • unpleasant; bad
  2. go crook, go off crook ⇒ Austral NZ informal to lose one's temper
  3. go crook at, go crook on ⇒ Austral NZ informal to rebuke or upbraid
Etymology: 12th Century: from Old Norse krokr hook; related to Swedish krok, Danish krog hook, Old High German krācho hooked tool
'crook' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
ankylosis - crosier - crutch - encroach - hook - skelm - accroach - acrophony - akimbo - apology - bandy - bassoon - bend - bott - con - creek - criminal - crochet - crocket - crookback - crooked - crookneck - crook rafter - crosse - crouch - cruck - elbow - ganef - gangster - heel - hook check - knee rafter - La Crosse - lituus - tortuosity - twicer - twist - winter crookneck - shank - shoot - spade - streamer fly - sweep check
Collocations: AU: he [is, was taken] crook, AU: his [frail, old] and crook father, AU: has a crook [knee, elbow, shoulder, leg], more...

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