English Dictionary

Definition of “crib

crib (krɪbPronunciation for crib

Definitions

noun

  1. a child's bed with slatted wooden sides; cot
  2. a cattle stall or pen
  3. a fodder rack or manger
  4. a bin or granary for storing grain, etc
  5. a small crude cottage or room
  6. US informal a house or residence
  7. New Zealand a weekend cottage: term is South Island usage only
  8. any small confined space
  9. informal a brothel
  10. a wicker basket
  11. a representation of the manger in which the infant Jesus was laid at birth
  12. informal a theft, esp of another's writing or thoughts
  13. informal mainly British ponya translation of a foreign text or a list of answers used by students, often illicitly, as an aid in lessons, examinations, etc
  14. short for cribbage
  15. cribbage the discard pile
  16. cribworka framework of heavy timbers laid in layers at right angles to one another, used in the construction of foundations, mines, etc
  17. a storage area for floating logs contained by booms
  18. Australian New Zealand a packed lunch taken to work

verb

Word forms: cribs, cribbing, cribbed
  1. (tr) to put or enclose in or as if in a crib; furnish with a crib
  2. (tr) informal to steal (another's writings or thoughts)
  3. (intr) informal to copy either from a crib or from someone else during a lesson or examination
  4. (tr) to line (a construction hole) with timber beams, logs, or planks
  5. (intr) informal to grumble

Alternative Forms

ˈcribber noun

Word Origin

Old English cribb;  related to Old Saxon kribbia,  Old High German krippa;  compare Middle High German krēbe basket

Usage examples

  • Lying still, in the middle of the night, the babe beside her now in his crib , she was lifted out of herself.
    Haines, Pamela, The Golden Lion (1986)
  • If you are taking a baby, remember to ask for a bulkhead seat, where a bassinet or crib can be attached.
    British Medical Journal (2002)
  • Fire investigators found no human remains and concluded the blaze had consumed Delimar Vera in her crib.
    SA Star (2005)
  • Urchin has an alternative, compact and contemporary cotton canvas crib with a pine frame, on wheels, for £99.95.
    Times, Sunday Times (2002)
  • She drew a large ape, some smaller apes and a little child crying in a crib.
    Wilkinson, Helena, Beyond Chaotic Eating (1993)

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