Definition of "crow"

Gaslark in his splendour on the golden stairs saying adieu to those three captains and their matchless armament foredoomed to dogs and crows on Salapanta Hills.

1922, E.R. Eddison, The Worm Ouroborus

He approached the humble tomb in which Antonia reposed. He had provided himself with an iron crow and a pick-axe: but this precaution was unnecessary.

1796, Matthew Lewis, The Monk, Folio Society, published 1985, page 267

Watt might have broken the door down, with an axe, or a crow, or a small charge of explosive, but this might have aroused Erskine's suspicions, and Watt did not want that.

1953, Samuel Beckett, Watt, Olympia Press

“Ay,” put in a young man, who had the reputation of being the smartest “crow” in London—“‘fishers of men,’ as the parson says.”

1874, Marcus Clarke, For the Term of his Natural Life, Penguin, published 2009, page 53

But it helps a man along to have a wife he can be proud of. Suppose you marry some old crow. People point at her and ask, 'Who is that death's head yonder?'

1899, George Horton, A Fair Brigand‎, H.S. Stone, page 242

(Mrs. Meany to Woody, from a window) "I don't care! I'm not running a pet shop.""Well it looks like one with an old crow in the window!"

1970, Paul J. Smith, 0:13 from the start, in Woody Woodpecker: "Seal on the Loose", spoken by Woody Woodpecker (Grace Stafford)

A young petty officer that must have just received his “crow” (a single chevron, with an eagle over it) was showing off to several seamen.

2002, Ed Goodrich, Riggers that Dive, page 46

The young man had been threatened with loss of his third class rank, his “crow,” the eagle in a petty officer's sleeve insignia.

2003, Jonathan T. Malay, Seraphim Sky, page 106

Yet once me thought it [the ghost of Hamlet's father] was about to ſpeake, / And lifted vp his head to motion, / Like as he would ſpeake, but euen the / The morning cocke crew lowd, and in all haſte / It ſhrunke in haſte away, and vaniſhed / Our ſight.

c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shake-speare, The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke: […] (First Quarto), London: […] [Valentine Simmes] for N[icholas] L[ing] and Iohn Trundell, published 1603, [Act I, scene ii]

This is the Cock that crowed in the Morn[.]

1784, The House that Jack Built, page 8

'You are that Psyche' Cyril said again / 'The mother of the sweetest little maid, / That ever crow'd for kisses.'

1847, Alfred Tennyson, “Part II”, in The Princess: A Medley, London: Edward Moxon, […], page 37

1869 May, Anthony Trollope, “Lady Milborough as Ambassador”, in He Knew He Was Right, volume I, London: Strahan and Company, […], page 87

Hearing the miner's footsteps, the baby would put up his arms and crow.

1913, D[avid] H[erbert] Lawrence, chapter III, in Sons and Lovers, London: Duckworth & Co. […], part I, page 48

When your rooster crows at the break o' dawn / Look out your window and I'll be gone.

1962, Bob Dylan (lyrics and music), “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right”, in The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan

Touting its sponsorship of local engineering and sustainability programs, Amazon crows about such “investments” as its dog park, playing fields, art installations, and Buckyball-reminiscent domical gardens.

2017 September 27, Julianne Tveten, “Zucktown, USA”, in The Baffler‎

Another of my favorite dishes, the Asian chicken salad, was inspired by a skit by comedian Margaret Cho (“This is not the salad of my people…” she crows).

2023 October 7, Ajesh Patalay, quoting Margaret Cho, “The Naked Chef 2.0”, in FT Weekend‎, HTSI, page 77