Part 685

Crow's-nest` (kr?z"n?st`), n. (Naut.) A box or perch near the top of a mast, esp. in whalers, to shelter the man on the lookout.

Crow"step` (kr?"st?p`), n. (Arch.) See Corriestep.

Crow"stone` (kr?"st?n`), n. (Arch.) The top stone of the gable end of a house. Halliwell.

Crowth (krouth), n. An ancient musical instrument. See 4th Crowd.

Crow"toe` (krō"tō`), n. (Bot.) 1. The Lotus corniculatus. Dr. Prior.

2. An unidentified plant, probably the crowfoot. "The tufted crowtoe." Milton.

Crow"-trod`den (krō"tr?d`d'n), a. Marked with crow's-feet, or wrinkles, about the eyes. [Poetic]

Do I look as if I were crow-trodden? Beau. & FL.

Croyl"stone` (kroil"stōn`), n. (Min.) Crystallized cawk, in which the crystals are small.

Croys (krois), n. See Cross, n. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Croze (kr?z), n. [Cf. Cross, and Crosier.] A cooper's tool for making the grooves for the heads of casks, etc.; also, the groove itself.

Cro"zier (kr?"zh?r), n. See Crosier.

Cro"ziered (-zh?rd), a. Crosiered.

Cru"cial (kr?"shal), a. [F. crucial, fr. L. crux, crucis, cross, torture. See Cross.] 1. Having the form of a cross; appertaining to a cross; cruciform; intersecting; as, crucial ligaments; a crucial incision.

2. Severe; trying or searching, as if bringing to the cross; decisive; as, a crucial test.

Cru"cian carp` (-shan k?rp`). [Cf. Sw. karussa, G. karausche, F. carousse, - assin, corassin, LL. coracinus, Gr. &?;&?;&?;&?;&?; a sort of fish.] (Zo÷l.) A kind of European carp (Carasius vulgaris), inferior to the common carp; -- called also German carp.

&fist; The gibel or Prussian carp is now generally considered a variety of the crucian carp, or perhaps a hybrid between it and the common carp.

Cru"ci*ate (kr?"sh?-?t or -sh?t; 106), a. [L. cruciatus, p. p. of cruciare to crucify, torture, fr. crux, crucis, a cross. See Cross.] 1. Tormented. [Obs.] Bale.

2. (Bot.) Having the leaves or petals arranged in the form of a cross; cruciform.

Cru"ci*ate (kr?"sh?-?t), v. t. To torture; to torment. [Obs.] See Excruciate. Bale.

Cru`ci*a"tion (kr?`sh?-?"sh?n), n. [LL. cruciatio.] The act of torturing; torture; torment. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.

Cru"ci*ble (kr&udd;"s&ibreve;*b'l), n. [LL. crucibulum a hanging lamp, an earthen pot for melting metals (cf. OF. croisel, creuseul, sort of lamp, crucible, F. creuset crucible), prob. of German origin; cf. OHG. krūsul, LG. krŘsel, hanging lamp, kroos, kruus, mug, jug, jar, D. kroes cup, crucible, Dan. kruus, Sw. krus, E. cruse. It was confused with derivatives of L. crux cross (cf. Crosslet), and crucibles were said to have been marked with a cross, to prevent the devil from marring the chemical operation. See Cruse, and cf. Cresset.] 1. A vessel or melting pot, composed of some very refractory substance, as clay, graphite, platinum, and used for melting and calcining substances which require a strong degree of heat, as metals, ores, etc.

2. A hollow place at the bottom of a furnace, to receive the melted metal.

3. A test of the most decisive kind; a severe trial; as, the crucible of affliction.

Hessian crucible (Chem.), a cheap, brittle, and fragile, but very refractory crucible, composed of the finest fire clay and sand, and commonly used for a single heating; -- named from the place of manufacture.

Cru"ci*fer (-f?r), n. [See Cruciferous.] (Bot.) Any plant of the order CruciferŠ.

Cru*cif"er*ous (kr?-s?f"?r-?s), a. [L. crux, crucis, cross + -ferous: cf. F. crucif&?;re.] 1. Bearing a cross.

2. (Bot.) Of, pertaining to, or resembling, a family of plants which have four petals arranged like the arms of a cross, as the mustard, radish, turnip, etc.