cram|mer /kræ mə r / (crammers ) N‑COUNT A crammer is a school, teacher, or book which prepares students for an exam by teaching them a lot in a short time. [BRIT ]
cramp /kræ mp/ (cramps , cramping , cramped )
1 N‑UNCOUNT Cramp is a sudden strong pain caused by a muscle suddenly contracting. You sometimes get cramp in a muscle after you have been making a physical effort over a long period of time. □ [+ in ] Hillsden was complaining of cramp in his calf muscles. □ She started getting stomach cramps this morning.
2 PHRASE If someone or something cramps your style , their presence or existence restricts your behaviour in some way. [INFORMAL ] □ People think having your dad on tour would cramp your style.
cramped /kræ mpt/ ADJ A cramped room or building is not big enough for the people or things in it. □ There are hundreds of families living in cramped conditions on the floor of the airport lounge.
cram|pon /kræ mpɒn/ (crampons ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] Crampons are metal plates with spikes underneath which mountain climbers fasten to the bottom of their boots, especially when there is snow or ice, in order to make climbing easier.
cran|berry /kræ nbəri, [AM ] -beri/ (cranberries ) N‑COUNT [usu pl, oft N n] Cranberries are red berries with a sour taste. They are often used to make a sauce or jelly that you eat with meat.
crane /kre I n/ (cranes , craning , craned )
1 N‑COUNT A crane is a large machine that moves heavy things by lifting them in the air. □ The little prefabricated hut was lifted away by a huge crane.
2 N‑COUNT A crane is a kind of large bird with a long neck and long legs.
3 VERB If you crane your neck or head, you stretch your neck in a particular direction in order to see or hear something better. □ [V n] She craned her neck to get a better view. □ [V to-inf] Children craned to get close to him. □ [V adv/prep] She craned forward to look at me.
crane|fly /kre I nfla I / (craneflies ) also crane fly N‑COUNT A cranefly is a harmless flying insect with long legs.
cra|nial /kre I niəl/ ADJ [ADJ n] Cranial means relating to your cranium. [TECHNICAL ] □ …cranial bleeding.
cra|nium /kre I niəm/ (craniums or crania /kre I niə/) N‑COUNT Your cranium is the round part of your skull that contains your brain. [TECHNICAL ]
crank /kræ ŋk/ (cranks , cranking , cranked )
1 N‑COUNT If you call someone a crank , you think their ideas or behaviour are strange. [INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ The Prime Minister called Councillor Marshall 'a crank'.
2 N‑COUNT A crank is a device that you turn in order to make something move.
3 VERB If you crank an engine or machine, you make it move or function, especially by turning a handle. □ [V n] The chauffeur got out to crank the motor.
▸ crank up
1 PHRASAL VERB If you crank up a machine or a device, you make it function harder or at a greater level. [BRIT ] □ [V P n] Just crank up your hearing aid a peg or two. [Also V n P ]
2 PHRASAL VERB If you crank up a machine or device, you start it. [AM ] □ [V P n] …May's warm weather, which caused people to crank up their air conditioners. [Also V n P ]
3 PHRASAL VERB If you crank up the volume of something, you turn it up until it is very loud. □ [V P n] Someone cranked up the volume of the public address system. □ [V n P adj] By about six, they're cranking the music up loud again. [Also V n P ]
4 PHRASAL VERB To crank something up means to increase it or make it more intense. [mainly BRIT ] □ [V P n] The legal authorities cranked up the investigation. [Also V n P ]
crank|shaft /kræ ŋkʃɑːft, -ʃæft/ (crankshafts ) N‑COUNT A crankshaft is the main shaft of an internal combustion engine. □ The engine had a broken crankshaft.
cranky /kræ ŋki/ (crankier , crankiest )
1 ADJ If you describe ideas or ways of behaving as cranky , you disapprove of them because you think they are strange. [INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ Vegetarianism has shed its cranky image.
2 ADJ Cranky means bad-tempered. [AM , INFORMAL ] □ It was a long trek, and Jack and I both started to get cranky after about ten minutes.
cran|ny /kræ ni/ (crannies )
1 N‑COUNT [usu pl] Crannies are very narrow openings or spaces in something. □ They fled like lizards into crannies in the rocks.
2 every nook and cranny → see nook
crap /kræ p/ (craps , crapping , crapped )
1 ADJ If you describe something as crap , you think that it is wrong or of very poor quality. [INFORMAL , RUDE , DISAPPROVAL ] ● N‑UNCOUNT Crap is also a noun. □ It is a tedious, humourless load of crap.
2 N‑UNCOUNT Crap is sometimes used to refer to faeces. [INFORMAL , RUDE ]
3 VERB To crap means to get rid of faeces from your body. [INFORMAL , RUDE ]
4 N‑UNCOUNT Craps or crap is a gambling game, played mainly in North America, in which you throw two dice and bet what the total will be. □ I'll shoot some craps or play some blackjack.
crap|py /kræ pi/ (crappier , crappiest ) ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you describe something as crappy , you think it is of very poor quality. Many people consider this word offensive. [INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ …reading a crappy detective novel.