crag
/kræg/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: 1. A steep, rugged, or projecting rock or mass of rock: This refers to a single, prominent, and often isolated rock formation that is steep and rough in texture. 2. A cliff or part of a cliff, especially one that is steep and rugged: This meaning emphasizes the feature as part of a larger rocky face or coastline.
Usage and Examples
- The climber carefully searched for a handhold on the sheer crag.
- An eagle's nest was perched high on the windswept crag.
- The castle was built atop a coastal crag, making it nearly impregnable.
- The path led them around the base of a towering limestone crag.
Advanced Usage
- Geological Context: In geology, a crag often refers to a steep, rocky promontory, typically formed by erosion or glacial activity.
- Literary/Descriptive Use: The word is frequently used in poetry and descriptive prose to evoke a sense of wild, ancient, and imposing natural scenery.
Variants and Related Words
- Craggy (adjective): Having many crags; rough, rugged, and uneven in surface.
- He had a craggy face, weathered by years in the sun.
- Cragsman (noun, archaic): A skilled climber of steep rocky places.
Synonyms
- Cliff
- Bluff
- Precipice
- Escarpment
- Outcrop
Antonyms
- Plain
- Valley
- Dale
- Meadow
Related Phrases and Idioms
- To be (perched) on a crag: This phrase is used literally to describe something located on such a rock formation, emphasizing height and isolation.
- The lighthouse stood perched on a crag, warning ships of the dangerous coast.