crook

/kruk/

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Definition

The word "crook" can be used as both a noun and a verb, and it has a few different meanings.

Advanced Usage

In more advanced contexts, "crook" can also refer to someone who is dishonest or untrustworthy, not just someone who has committed a crime.

Word Variants

• Crooked (adjective): This word describes something that is not straight. For example, a crooked path or a crooked smile.

  • Example: The picture hung crooked on the wall.

• Crookery (noun): This term refers to a collection of crooks or a place where crooks gather, though it is less commonly used.

Different Meanings

• Crook (in geography): Refers to a curve or bend, especially in a road or river.
• Crook (in law): Specifically denotes a criminal, particularly one involved in theft or fraud.

Synonyms

• For the criminal meaning, synonyms include: criminal, thief, wrongdoer.
• For the bending meaning, synonyms include: bend, curve, twist.

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs

• While "crook" doesn't have many idioms directly associated with it, the phrase "up to no good" can describe someone behaving like a crook.

Usage Instructions

• Use "crook" in everyday conversation to describe either a physical bend or to refer to someone who is dishonest. Make sure to clarify the context to avoid confusion, as the meanings can vary.

Examples in Sentences

1. Physical: The road has a sharp crook that makes it hard to drive.
2. Criminal: The crook was caught trying to break into a house.
3. Verb: He crooks his arm to wave at his friend.

Academic

Noun

1. a long staff with one end being hook shaped
2. a circular segment of a curve
   • a bend in the road
   • a crook in the path
3. someone who has committed a crime or has been legally convicted of a crime

Verb

1. bend or cause to bend
   • He crooked his index finger
   • the road curved sharply

Synonyms

• shepherd's crook
• bend
• twist
• turn
• criminal
• felon
• outlaw
• malefactor
• curve