crane Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun United States writer (1871-1900)
    Stephen Crane.
  2. noun United States poet (1899-1932)
    Hart Crane; Harold Hart Crane.
  3. noun a small constellation in the southern hemisphere near Phoenix
    Grus.
  4. noun lifts and moves heavy objects; lifting tackle is suspended from a pivoted boom that rotates around a vertical axis
  5. noun large long-necked wading bird of marshes and plains in many parts of the world
  6. verb stretch (the neck) so as to see better
    stretch out.
    • The women craned their necks to see the President drive by

WordNet

Crane noun
Etymology
AS. cran; akin to D. & LG. craan, G. kranich, krahn (this in sense 2), Gr. , L. grus, W. & Armor. garan, OSlav. zerav, Lith. gerve, Icel. trani, Sw. trana, Dan. trane. 24. Cf. Geranium.
Definitions
  1. (Zoöl.) A wading bird of the genus Grus, and allied genera, of various species, having a long, straight bill, and long legs and neck. ✍ The common European crane is Grus cinerea. The sand-hill crane (G. Mexicana) and the whooping crane (G. Americana) are large American species. The Balearic or crowned crane is Balearica pavonina. The name is sometimes erroneously applied to the herons and cormorants.
  2. A machine for raising and lowering heavy weights, and, while holding them suspended, transporting them through a limited lateral distance. In one form it consists of a projecting arm or jib of timber or iron, a rotating post or base, and the necessary tackle, windlass, etc.; -- so called from a fancied similarity between its arm and the neck of a crane See Illust. Of Derrick.
  3. An iron arm with horizontal motion, attached to the side or back of a fireplace, for supporting kettles, etc., over a fire.
  4. A siphon, or bent pipe, for drawing liquors out of a cask.
  5. (Naut.) A forked post or projecting bracket to support spars, etc., -- generally used in pairs. See Crotch, 2.
Crane transitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Craned present participle & verbal noun Craning
Definitions
  1. To cause to rise; to raise or lift, as by a crane; -- with up. R.
    What engines, what instruments are used in craning up a soul, sunk below the center, to the highest heavens. Bates.
    An upstart craned up to the height he has. Massinger.
  2. To stretch, as a crane stretches its neck; as, to crane the neck disdainfully. G. Eliot.
crane intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. to reach forward with head and neck, in order to see better; as, a hunter cranes forward before taking a leap. Beaconsfield. Thackeray.
    The passengers eagerly craning forward over the bulwarks. Howells.

Webster 1913