Definition

Noun: 1. A pouch in the esophagus of many birds and some lower animals, used for storing and softening food before digestion: This is the primary biological definition, referring to a specific anatomical structure. 2. The stomach of an animal, especially a lower animal: In broader or more general usage, it can refer to the stomach or digestive tract.

Usage

• The word "craw" is a specialized term, most commonly used in zoology, ornithology, and in historical or literary contexts. It is not a common word in everyday modern English.
• It is often used in the phrase "stick in one's craw," which is an idiom (explained below).

Examples

• Noun (Biological):
  • The bird stored seeds in its craw before flying back to the nest.
  • The zoologist examined the craw of the insect to study its diet.
• Noun (General/Stomach):
  • The fish's craw was full of smaller minnows.

Advanced Usage

• "to stick in one's craw": This is the most common modern usage of the word. It is an idiom meaning that something is difficult to accept, swallow, or tolerate, causing irritation or resentment.
  • The unfair criticism really stuck in his craw.
  • Her arrogant attitude sticks in my craw.

Variants and Related Words

• Crop: This is a more common and precise synonym for the biological definition, especially in ornithology. "Crop" is the standard term for the pouch in a bird's esophagus.
• Gizzard: A muscular part of a bird's stomach used for grinding food, often confused with but anatomically distinct from the craw/crop.

Synonyms

• For the anatomical pouch: Crop, ingluvies (technical).
• For the stomach: Stomach, gut, maw (archaic/literary).

Idioms Related

• Stick in one's craw/throat/gizzard: To be difficult to accept or endure. All three variants ("craw," "throat," "gizzard") are used in this idiom with the same figurative meaning. "Stick in one's throat" is the most common modern version.

Noun

1. a pouch in many birds and some lower animals that resembles a stomach for storage and preliminary maceration of food