CRANE

crane

(noun) large long-necked wading bird of marshes and plains in many parts of the world

crane

(noun) lifts and moves heavy objects; lifting tackle is suspended from a pivoted boom that rotates around a vertical axis

Grus, Crane

(noun) a small constellation in the southern hemisphere near Phoenix

Crane, Hart Crane, Harold Hart Crane

(noun) United States poet (1899-1932)

Crane, Stephen Crane

(noun) United States writer (1871-1900)

crane, stretch out

(verb) stretch (the neck) so as to see better; “The women craned their necks to see the President drive by”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

---

Etymology 1

Noun

crane (plural cranes)

Any bird of the family Gruidae, large birds with long legs and a long neck which is extended during flight.

(US, dialect) Ardea herodias, the great blue heron.

A mechanical lifting machine or device, often used for lifting heavy loads for industrial or construction purposes.

An iron arm with horizontal motion, attached to the side or back of a fireplace for supporting kettles etc. over the fire.

A siphon, or bent pipe, for drawing liquors out of a cask.

(nautical) A forked post or projecting bracket to support spars, etc.; generally used in pairs.

Verb

crane (third-person singular simple present cranes, present participle craning, simple past and past participle craned)

(ambitransitive) To extend (one's neck).

(transitive) To raise or lower with, or as if with, a crane.

(intransitive) To pull up before a jump.

Etymology 2

Noun

crane (plural cranes)

(obsolete) The cranium.

Anagrams

• Caren, Carne, Cerna, Crean, Rance, caner, caren, crena, nacre, nacré, rance, recan

Proper noun

Crane

A surname.

A small river in Greater London, England, which joins the Thames near Twickenham.

A town in Martin County, Indiana, United States.

A town in Stone County, Missouri, United States.

A census-designated place in Harney County, Oregon, United States.

A city, the county seat of Crane County, Texas, United States.

An unincorporated community in Bath County, Virginia, United States.

Anagrams

• Caren, Carne, Cerna, Crean, Rance, caner, caren, crena, nacre, nacré, rance, recan

Source: Wiktionary

---

Cran (krn), Crane (krn), n. Etym: [Scot., fr. Gael. crann.]

Definition: A measure for fresh herrings, -- as many as will fill a barrel. [Scot.] H. Miller.

Crane (krn), n. Etym: [AS. cran; akin to D. & LG. craan, G. kranich, krahn (this in sense 2), Gr. grus, W. & Armor. garan, OSlav. zerav, Lith. gerve, Icel. trani, Sw. trana, Dan. trane. Geranium.]

1. (Zoöl.)

Definition: A wading bird of the genus Grus, and allied genera, of various species, having a long, straight bill, and long legs and neck.

Note: The common European crane is Grus cinerea. The sand-hill crane (G. Mexicana) and the whooping crane (G. Americana) are large American species. The Balearic or crowned crane is Balearica pavonina. The name is sometimes erroneously applied to the herons and cormorants.

2. A machine for raising and lowering heavy weights, and, while holding them suspended, transporting them through a limited lateral distance. In one form it consists of a projecting arm or jib of timber or iron, a rotating post or base, and the necessary tackle, windlass, etc.; -- so called from a fancied similarity between its arm and the neck of a crane See Illust. Of Derrick.

3. An iron arm with horizontal motion, attached to the side or back of a fireplace, for supporting kettles, etc., over a fire.

4. A siphon, or bent pipe, for drawing liquors out of a cask.

5. (Naut.)

Definition: A forked post or projecting bracket to support spars, etc., -- generally used in pairs. See Crotch, 2. Crane fly (Zoöl.), a dipterous insect with long legs, of the genus Tipula.

– Derrick crane. See Derrick.

– Gigantic crane. (Zoöl.) See Adjutant, n., 3.

– Traveling crane, Traveler crane, Traversing crane (Mach.), a crane mounted on wheels; esp., an overhead crane consisting of a crab or other hoisting apparatus traveling on rails or beams fixed overhead, as in a machine shop or foundry.

– Water crane, a kind of hydrant with a long swinging spout, for filling locomotive tenders, water carts, etc., with water.

Crane (krn), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Craned (krnd); p. pr. & vb. n. Craning.]

1. To cause to rise; to raise or lift, as by a crane; -- with up. [R.] What engines, what instruments are used in craning up a soul, sunk below the center, to the highest heavens. Bates. An upstart craned up to the height he has. Massinger.

2. To stretch, as a crane stretches its neck; as, to crane the neck disdainfully. G. Eliot.

crane, v. i.

Definition: to reach forward with head and neck, in order to see better; as, a hunter cranes forward before taking a leap. Beaconsfield. Thackeray. The passengers eagerly craning forward over the bulwarks. Howells.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition

---