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Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary - Contents
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    CREMATION — CRITIQUE

    CREMATION, n. [L., to burn.] A burning; particularly, the burning of the dead, according to the custom of many ancient nations.

    CREMOR, n. [L. See Cream.] Cream; any expressed juice of grain; yeast; scum; a substance resembling cream.

    CRENATE, CRENATED, a. [L., a notch. See Cranny.] Notched; indented; scolloped. In botany, a crenate leaf has its edge, as it were, cut with angular or circular incisures, not inclining towards either extremity. When the scallops are segments of small circles, it is said to be obtusely crenated; when the larger segments have smaller ones upon them, a leaf is said to be doubly crenate.

    CRENATURE, n. A scollop, like a notch, in a leaf, or in the style of a plant.

    CRENKLE, CRENGLE, CRENULATE, a. [See Cringle.] Having the edge, as it were, cut into very small scollops.

    CREOLE, n. In the West Indies and Spanish America, a native of those countries descended from European ancestors.

    CREPANCE, CREPANE, n. [L., to burst.] A chop or cratch in a horses leg, caused by the shoe of one hind foot crossing and striking the other hind foot. It sometimes degenerates into an ulcer.

    CREPITATE, v.i. [L., to crackle, to crack, to burst with a sharp sound.] To crackle; to snap; to burst with a small sharp abrupt sound, rapidly repeated; as salt in fire, or during calcination. It differs from detonate, which signifies, to burst with a single loud report.

    CREPITATING, ppr. Crackling; snapping.

    CREPITATION, n.

    1. The act of bursting with a frequent repetition of sharp sounds; the noise of some salts in calcination; crackling.NWAD CREPITATION.2

    2. The noise of fractured bones, when moved by a surgeon to ascertain a fracture.NWAD CREPITATION.3

    CREPT, pret. and pp. of creep.

    CREPUSCLE, CREPUSCULE, n. [L., a little burst or break of light, or broken light.] Twilight; the light of the morning from the first dawn to sunrise, and of the evening from sunset to darkness. It is occasioned by the refraction of the suns ray.

    CREPUSCULAR, CREPUSCULOUS, a. Pertaining to twilight; glimmering; noting the imperfect light of the morning and evening; hence, imperfectly clear or luminous.

    CREPUSCULINE, a. Crepuscular. [Not used.]

    CRESCENT, a. [L., to grow. See Grow.] Increasing; growing; as crescent horns.

    CRESCENT, n.

    1. The increasing or new moon, which, when receding from the sun, shows a curving rim of light, terminating in points or horns. It is applied to the old or decreasing moon, in a like state, but less properly.NWAD CRESCENT.3

    2. The figure or likeness of the new moon; as that borne in the Turkish flag or national standard. The standard itself, and figuratively, the Turkish power.NWAD CRESCENT.4

    3. In heraldry, a bearing in the form of a half moon.NWAD CRESCENT.5

    4. The name of a military order, instituted by Renatus of Anjou, king of Sicily; so called from its symbol or badge, a crescent of gold enameled.NWAD CRESCENT.6

    CRESCENT, v.t. To form into a crescent.

    CRESCENT-SHAPED, a. In botany, lunate; lunated; shaped like a crescent; as a leaf.

    CRESCIVE, a. [L., to grow.] Increasing; growing.

    CRESS, n. [G., L.] The name of several species of plants, most of them of the class tetradynamia. Watercresses, of the genus Sisymbrium, are used as a salad, and are valued in medicine for their antiscorbutic qualities. The leaves have a moderately pungent taste. They grow on the brinks of rivulets and in other moist grounds. The word is generally used in the plural.

    CRESSET, n. [See Cross.]

    1. A great light set on a beacon, lighthouse, or watch tower.NWAD CRESSET.2

    2. A lamp or torch.NWAD CRESSET.3

    CREST, n. [L. This is probably, a growing or shooting up, from the root of cresco.]

    1. The plume of feathers or other material on the top of the ancient helmet; the helmet itself.NWAD CREST.2

    2. The ornament of the helmet in heraldry.NWAD CREST.3

    3. The comb of a cock; also, a tuft of feathers on the head of other fowls.NWAD CREST.4

    4. Any tuft or ornament worn on the head.NWAD CREST.5

    5. Loftiness; pride; courage; spirit; a lofty mien.NWAD CREST.6

    CREST, v.t.

    1. To furnish with a crest; to serve as a crest for.NWAD CREST.8

    2. To mark with long streaks.NWAD CREST.9

    CRESTED, a. [from crest.]

    1. Wearing a crest; adorned with a crest or plume; having a comb; as a crested helmet; a crested cock.NWAD CRESTED.2

    2. In natural history, having a tuft like a crest.NWAD CRESTED.3

    CREST-FALLEN, a.

    1. Dejected; sunk; bowed; dispirited; heartless; spiritless.NWAD CREST-FALLEN.2

    2. Having the upper part of the neck hanging on one side, as a horse.NWAD CREST-FALLEN.3

    CRESTLESS, a. Without a crest; not dignified with coat-armor; not of an eminent family; of low birth.

    CRETACEOUS, a. [L., chalk.] Chalky; having the qualities of chalk; like chalk; abounding with chalk.

    CRETIC, n. [Gr.] A poetic foot of three syllables, one short between two long syllables.

    CRETIN, n. A name given to certain deformed and helpless idiots in the Alps.

    CREVICE, n. [L., to burst. See Crepitate and Rip.] A crack; a cleft; a fissure; a rent; an opening; as a crevice in a wall.

    CREVICE, v.t. To crack; to flaw.

    CREVIS, n. The craw-fish.

    CREW, n.

    1. A company of people associated; as a noble crew; a gallant crew.NWAD CREW.2

    2. A company, in a low or bad sense, which is now most usual; a herd; as a rebel crew.NWAD CREW.3

    So we say, a miserable crew.NWAD CREW.4

    3. The company of seamen who man a ship, vessel or boat; the company belonging to a vessel. Also, the company or gang of a carpenter, gunner, boatswain, etc. It is appropriated to the common sailors.NWAD CREW.5

    CREW, pret. of crow, but the regular preterit and participle, crowed, is now most commonly used.

    CREWEL, n. Yarn twisted and wound on a knot or ball, or two threaded worsted.

    CREWET. [See Cruet.]

    CRIB, n.

    1. The manger of a stable, in which oxen and cows feed. In America, it is distinguished from a rack for horses.NWAD CRIB.2

    Where no oxen are, the crib is clean. Proverbs 14:4.NWAD CRIB.3

    The manger for other beasts.NWAD CRIB.4

    The ass knoweth his master’s crib. Isaiah 1:3.NWAD CRIB.5

    2. A small habitation or cottage.NWAD CRIB.6

    3. A stall for oxen.NWAD CRIB.7

    4. A case or box in salt works.NWAD CRIB.8

    5. A small building, raised on posts, for storing Indian corn.NWAD CRIB.9

    CRIB, v.t. To shut or confine in a narrow habitation; to cage.

    CRIBBAGE, n. A game at cards.

    CRIBBED, pp. Shut up; confined; caged.

    CRIBBLE, n.

    1. A corn-sieve or riddle.NWAD CRIBBLE.2

    2. Coarse flour or meal. [Not used in the United States.]NWAD CRIBBLE.3

    CRIBBLE, v.t. To sift; to cause to pass through a sieve or riddle.

    CRIBRATION, n. [See Cribble.] The act of sifting or riddling; used in pharmacy.

    CRIBRIFORM, a. [L., a sieve, and form.] Resembling a sieve or riddle; a term applied to the lamen of the ethmoid bone, through which the fibers of the olfactory nerve pass to the nose.

    CRICHTONITE, n. A mineral so called from Dr. Crichton, physician to the Emperor of Russia. It has a velvet black color, and crystalizes in very acute small rhomboids. It occurs in primitive rocks with octahedrite.

    CRICK, n. [See Creak.]

    1. The creaking of a door. [Not used.]NWAD CRICK.2

    2. A spasmodic affection of some part of the body, as of the neck or back; local spasm or cramp.NWAD CRICK.3

    CRICKET, n. An insect of the genus Gryllus, belonging to the order of Hemipters. There are several species, so named probably on account of their creaking or chirping voice.

    The cricket chirping in the hearth.NWAD CRICKET.2

    CRICKET, n.

    1. A play or exercise with bats and ball.NWAD CRICKET.4

    2. A low stool.NWAD CRICKET.5

    CRICKETER, n. One who plays at cricket.

    CRICKET-MATCH, n. A match at cricket.

    CRIED, pret. and part. of cry.

    CRIER, CRYER, n. [See Cry.] One who cries; one who makes proclamation. The crier of a court is an officer whose duty is to proclaim the orders or commands of the court, to open or adjourn the court, keep silence, etc. A crier is also employed to give notice of auctions, and for other purposes.

    CRIME, n. [L., Gr., to separate, to judge, to decree, to condemn.]

    1. An act which violates a law, divine or human; an act which violates a rule of moral duty; an offense against the laws of right, prescribed by God or man, or against any rule of duty plainly implied in those laws. A crime may consist in omission or neglect, as well as in commission, or positive transgression. The commander of a fortress who suffers the enemy to take possession by neglect, is as really criminal, as one who voluntarily opens the gates without resistance.NWAD CRIME.2

    But in a more common and restricted sense, a crime denotes an offense, or violation of public law, of a deeper and more atrocious nature; a public wrong; or a violation of the commands of God, and the offenses against the laws made to preserve the public rights; as treason, murder, robbery, theft, arson, etc. The minor wrongs committed against individuals or private rights, are denominated trespasses, and the minor wrongs against public rights are called misdemeanors. Crimes and misdemeanors are punishable by indictment, information or public prosecution; trespasses or private injuries, at the suit of the individuals injured. But in many cases an act is considered both as a public offense and a trespass, and is punishable both by the public and the individual injured.NWAD CRIME.3

    2. Any great wickedness; iniquity; wrong.NWAD CRIME.4

    No crime was thing, if tis no crime to love.NWAD CRIME.5

    Capital crime, a crime punishable with death.NWAD CRIME.6

    CRIMEFUL, a. Criminal; wicked; partaking of wrong; contrary to law, right to duty.

    CRIMELESS, a. Free from crime; innocent.

    CRIMINAL, a.

    1. Guilty of a crime; applied to persons.NWAD CRIMINAL.2

    2. Partaking of a crime; involving a crime; that violates public law, divine or human; as, theft is a criminal act.NWAD CRIMINAL.3

    3. That violates moral obligation; wicked.NWAD CRIMINAL.4

    4. Relating to crimes; opposed to civil; as a criminal code; criminal law.NWAD CRIMINAL.5

    CRIMINAL, n. A person who has committed an offense against public law; a violator of law, divine or human. More particularly, a person indicted or charged with a public offense, and one who is found guilty, by verdict, confession or proof.

    Criminal conversation, the illegal commerce of the sexes; adultery.NWAD CRIMINAL.7

    CRIMINALITY, CRIMINALNESS, n. The quality of being criminal, or a violation of law; guiltiness; the quality of being guilty of a crime.

    This is by no means the only criterion of criminality.NWAD CRIMINALITY.2

    CRIMINALLY, adv. In violation of public law; in violation of divine law; wickedly; in a wrong or iniquitous manner.

    CRIMINATE, v.t. [L.] To accuse; to charge with a crime; to alledge to be guilty of a crime, offense or wrong.

    Our municipal laws do not require the offender to plead guilty or criminate himself.NWAD CRIMINATE.2

    CRIMINATED, pp. Accused; charge with a crime.

    CRIMINATING, ppr. Accusing; alledging to be guilty.

    CRIMINATION, n. [L.] The act of accusing; accusation; charge of having been guilty of a criminal act, offense or wrong.

    CRIMINATORY, a. Relating to accusation; accusing.

    CRIMINOUS, a. Very wicked; hainous; involving great crime. [Not used.]

    CRIMINOUSLY, adv. Criminally; hainously; enormously. [Not used.]

    CRIMINOUSNESS, n. Wickedness; guilt; criminality. [Not used.]

    CRIMOSIN. [See Crimson.]

    CRIMP, a. [See Crumble.]

    1. Easily crumbled; friable; brittle. [Little used.]NWAD CRIMP.2

    The fowler--treads the crimp earth.NWAD CRIMP.3

    2. Not consistent. [Not used.]NWAD CRIMP.4

    CRIMP, v.t. To catch; to seize; to pinch and hold. [See Crimple.]

    CRIMP, v.t. To curl or frizzle; as, to crimp the hair. This is evidently the same word as the foregoing.

    CRIMP, n.

    1. In England, an agent for coal-merchants, and for persons concerned in shipping.NWAD CRIMP.8

    2. One who decoys another into the naval or military service.NWAD CRIMP.9

    3. A game at cards.NWAD CRIMP.10

    CRIMPLE, v.t. [G. See Crumple and Rumple.] To contract or draw together; to shrink; to cause to shrink; to curl.

    CRIMPLED, pp. Contracted; shrunk; curled.

    CRIMPLING, ppr. Contracting; shrinking; curling; hobbling.

    CRIMSON, n. [G.] A deep red color; a red tinged with blue; also, a red color in general; as the virgin crimson of modesty.

    He made the vail of blue, and purple, and crimson. 2 Chronicles 3:14.NWAD CRIMSON.2

    CRIMSON, a. Of a beautiful deep red; as the crimson blush of modesty; a crimson stream of blood.

    CRIMSON, v.t. To dye with crimson; to dye of a deep red color; to make red.

    CRIMSON, v.i. To become of a deep red color; to be tinged with red; to blush.

    Her cheeks crimsoned at the entrance of her lover.NWAD CRIMSON.6

    CRIMSONED, pp. Dyed or tinged with a deep red.

    CRIMSONING, ppr. Dyeing or tinging with a deep red.

    CRINCUM, n. A cramp; a contraction; a turn or bend; a whim. [A vulgar word.]

    CRINGE, v.t. [G.] Properly, to shrink; to contract; to draw together; a popular use of the word. [Vulgarly, scringe.]

    You see him cringe his face.NWAD CRINGE.2

    CRINGE, v.i. To bow; to bend with servility; to fawn; to make court by mean compliances.

    Flatterers are always bowing and cringing.NWAD CRINGE.4

    CRINGE, n. A bow; servile civility.

    CRINGER, n. One who cringes, or bows and flatters with servility.

    CRINGING, ppr. Shrinking; bowing servilely.

    CRINGLE, n. [See Crank and Cringe.]

    1. A withe for fastening a gate. [Local.]NWAD CRINGLE.2

    2. In marine language, a hole in the boltrope of a sail, formed by intertwisting the division of a rope, called a strand, alternately round itself, and through the strand of the colt-rope, till it becomes three-fold, and takes the shape of a ring. Its use is to receive the ends of the ropes by which the sail is drawn up to its yard, or to extend the leech by the bow-line-bridles.NWAD CRINGLE.3

    Iron-cringles or hanks, are open rings running on the stays, to which the heads of the stay sails are made fast.NWAD CRINGLE.4

    CRINIGEROUS, a. [L., hear, to wear.] Hairy; overgrown with hair.

    CRINITE, a. [L., hair.] Having the appearance of a tuft of hair.

    CRINKLE, v.i. To turn or wind; to bend; to wrinkle; to run in and out in little or short bends or turns; as, the lightning crinkles.

    CRINKLE, v.t. To form with short turns or wrinkles; to mold into inequalities.

    CRINKLE, n. A wrinkle; a winding or turn; sinuosity.

    CRINOSE, a. Hairy. [See Crinite.] [Little used.]

    CRINOSITY, n. Hairiness. [Little used.]

    CRIPPLE, n. [G.] A lame person; primarily, one who creeps, halts or limps; one who has lost, or never enjoyed the use of his limbs. Acts 14:8.

    The word may signify one who is partially or totally disabled from using his limbs.NWAD CRIPPLE.2

    See the blind beggar dance, the cripple sing.NWAD CRIPPLE.3

    CRIPPLE, a. Lame.

    CRIPPLE, v.t.

    1. To lame; to deprive of the use of the limbs, particularly of the legs and feet.NWAD CRIPPLE.6

    2. To disable; to deprive of the power of exertion. We say, a fleet was crippled in the engagement.NWAD CRIPPLE.7

    CRIPPLED, pp. Lamed; rendered impotent in the limbs; disabled.

    CRIPPLENESS, n. Lameness.

    CRIPPLING, ppr. Laming; depriving of the use of the limbs; disabling.

    CRISIS, n. plu. [Gr. L., to separate, to determine, to decide. See Crime.]

    1. In medical science, the change of a disease which indicates its event; that change which indicates recovery or death. It is sometimes used to designate the excretion of something noxious from the body, or of the noxious fluids in a fever.NWAD CRISIS.2

    2. The decisive state of things, or the point of time when an affair is arrive to its highth, and must soon terminate or suffer a material change.NWAD CRISIS.3

    This hours the very crisis of your fate.NWAD CRISIS.4

    CRISP, a. [L. G. See the Verb.]

    1. Curled; formed into curls or ringlets.NWAD CRISP.2

    2. Indented; winding; as crisp channels.NWAD CRISP.3

    3. Brittle; friable; easily broken or crumbled.NWAD CRISP.4

    CRISP, v.t. [L.]

    1. To curl; to twist; to contract or form into ringlets, as the hair; to wreathe or interweave, as the branches of trees.NWAD CRISP.6

    2. To indent. To twist or eddy. But the sense is, to curl; to wrinkle in little undulations, as a fretted surface.NWAD CRISP.7

    From that sapphire fount the crisped brooks, rolling on orient pearl and sands of gold, ran nectar, visiting each plant.NWAD CRISP.8

    CRISPATION, n. The act of curling, or state of being curled.

    CRISPATURE, n. A curling; the state of being curled.

    CRISPED, pp. Curled; twisted; frizzled.

    CRISPING, ppr. Curling; frizzling.

    CRISPING-PIN, n. A curling iron.

    CRISPNESS, n. A state of being curled; also, brittleness.

    CRISPY, a.

    1. Curled; formed into ringlets; as crispy locks.NWAD CRISPY.2

    2. Brittle; dried so as to break short; as a crispy cake.NWAD CRISPY.3

    CRISTATE, CRISTATED, a. [L., a crest.] In botany, crested; tufted; having an appendage like a crest or tuft, as some anthers and flowers.

    CRITERION, n. plu. [Gr., to judge. See Crime.] A standard of judging; any established law, rule, principle or fact, by which facts, propositions and opinions are compared, in order to discover their truth or falsehood, or by which a correct judgment may be formed.

    CRITHOMANCY, n. [Gr., barley, and divination.] A kind of divination by means of the dough of cakes, and the meal strewed over the victims, in ancient sacrifices.

    CRITIC, n. [Gr., a judge or discerner, to judge, to separate, to distinguish. See Crime.]

    1. A person skilled in judging of the merit of literary works; one who is able to discern and distinguish the beauties and faults of writing. In a more general sense, a person skilled in judging with propriety of any combination of objects, or of any work of art; and particularly of what are denominated the Fine Arts. A critic is one who, from experience, knowledge, habit or taste, can perceive the difference between propriety and impropriety, in objects or works presented to his view; between the natural and unnatural; the high and the low, or lofty and mean; the congruous and incongruous; the correct and incorrect, according to the established rules of the art.NWAD CRITIC.2

    2. An examiner; a judge.NWAD CRITIC.3

    And make each day a critic on the last.NWAD CRITIC.4

    3. One who judges with severity; one who censures or finds fault.NWAD CRITIC.5

    CRITIC, a. Critical; relating to criticism, or the art of judging of the merit of a literary performance or discourse, or of any work in the fine arts. [See Critical.]

    CRITIC, v.i. To criticise; to play the critic. [Little used.]

    CRITICAL, a. [L. Gr. See Critic.]

    1. Relating to criticism; nicely exact; as a critical dissertation on Homer.NWAD CRITICAL.2

    2. Having the skill or power nicely to distinguish beauties from blemishes; a a critical judge; a critical auditor; a critical ear; critical taste.NWAD CRITICAL.3

    3. Making nice distinctions; accurate; as critical rules.NWAD CRITICAL.4

    4. Capable of judging with accuracy; discerning beauties and faults; nicely judicious in matters of literature and the fine arts; as, Virgil was a critical poet.NWAD CRITICAL.5

    5. Capable of judging with accuracy; conforming to exact rules of propriety; exact; particular; as, to be critical in rites and ceremonies, or in the selection of books.NWAD CRITICAL.6

    6. Inclined to find fault, or to judge with severity.NWAD CRITICAL.7

    7. [See Crisis.] Pertaining to a crisis; marking the time or state of a disease which indicates its termination in the death or recovery of the patient; as critical days, or critical symptoms.NWAD CRITICAL.8

    8. Producing a crisis or change in a disease; indicating a crisis; as a critical sweat.NWAD CRITICAL.9

    9. Decisive; noting a time or state on which the issue of things depends; important, as regards the consequences; as a critical time or moment; a critical juncture.NWAD CRITICAL.10

    10. Formed or situated to determine or decide, or having the crisis at command; important or essential for determining; as a critical post.NWAD CRITICAL.11

    CRITICALLY, adv.

    1. In a critical manner; with nice discernment of truth or falsehood, propriety or impropriety; with nice scrutiny; accurately; exactly; as, to examine evidence critically; to observe critically.NWAD CRITICALLY.2

    2. At the crisis; at the exact time.NWAD CRITICALLY.3

    3. In a critical situation, place or condition, so as to command the crisis; as a town critically situated.NWAD CRITICALLY.4

    CRITICALNESS, n.

    1. The state of being critical; incidence at a particular point of time.NWAD CRITICALNESS.2

    2. Exactness; accuracy; nicety; minute care in examination.NWAD CRITICALNESS.3

    CRITICISE, v.i. s as z.

    1. To examine and judge critically; to judge with attention to beauties and faults; as, to criticise on a literary work, on an argument or discourse.NWAD CRITICISE.2

    2. To write remarks on the merit of a performance; to notice beauties and faults.NWAD CRITICISE.3

    Cavil you may, but never criticise.NWAD CRITICISE.4

    3. To animadvert upon as faulty; to utter censure; as, to critise on a man’s manners, or his expenses.NWAD CRITICISE.5

    CRITICISE, v.t.

    1. To notice beauties and blemishes or faults in; to utter or write remarks on the merit of a performance; as, to criticise the writings of Milton.NWAD CRITICISE.7

    2. To pass judgment on with respect to merit or blame; as, to criticise an author; to criticise the conduct.NWAD CRITICISE.8

    CRITICISED, pp. Examined and judged with respect to beauties and faults.

    CRITICISING, ppr. Examining and judging with regard to beauties and faults; remarking on; animadverting on.

    CRITICISM, n.

    1. The art of judging with propriety of the beauties and faults of a literary performance, or of any production in the fine arts; as the rules of criticism.NWAD CRITICISM.2

    2. The act of judging on the merit of a performance; animadversion; remark on beauties and faults; critical observation, verbal or written. We say, the authors criticisms are candid, or they are severe.NWAD CRITICISM.3

    CRITIQUE, CRITIC, n.

    1. A critical examination of the merits of a performance; remarks or animadversions on beauties and faults.NWAD CRITIQUE.2

    Addison wrote a critique on PARADISE LOST.NWAD CRITIQUE.3

    2. Science of criticism; standard or rules of judging of the merit of performances.NWAD CRITIQUE.4

    If ideas and words were distinctly weighed, and duly considered, they would afford us another sort of logic and critic.NWAD CRITIQUE.5

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