4 PHRASE If you say that a place is a particular distance away as the crow flies , you mean that it is that distance away measured in a straight line. □ It was 150 miles inland from Boston as the crow flies.
crow|bar /kroʊ bɑː r / (crowbars ) N‑COUNT A crowbar is a heavy iron bar which is used as a lever.
crowd ◆◆◇ /kraʊ d/ (crowds , crowding , crowded )
1 N‑COUNT [with sing or pl verb] A crowd is a large group of people who have gathered together, for example to watch or listen to something interesting, or to protest about something. □ A huge crowd gathered in a square outside the Kremlin walls. □ The crowd were enormously enthusiastic. □ [+ of ] The explosions took place in shopping centres as crowds of people were shopping for Mother's Day.
2 N‑COUNT A particular crowd is a group of friends, or a set of people who share the same interests or job. [INFORMAL ] □ All the old crowd have come out for this occasion.
3 VERB When people crowd around someone or something, they gather closely together around them. □ [V + round/around n] The hungry refugees crowded around the tractors. □ [V round/around ] Police blocked off the road as hotel staff and guests crowded around.
4 VERB If people crowd into a place or are crowded into a place, large numbers of them enter it so that it becomes very full. □ [V + into ] Hundreds of thousands of people have crowded into the centre of the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius. □ [be V -ed + into ] One group of journalists were crowded into a minibus. □ [V -ed] 'Bravo, bravo,' chanted party workers crowded in the main hall. [Also V n into n]
5 VERB If a group of people crowd a place, there are so many of them there that it is full. □ [V n] Thousands of demonstrators crowded the streets shouting slogans.
6 VERB If people crowd you, they stand very closely around you trying to see or speak to you, so that you feel uncomfortable. □ [V n] It had been a tense day with people crowding her all the time.
▸ crowd in PHRASAL VERB If problems or thoughts crowd in on you, a lot of them happen to you or affect you at the same time, so that they occupy all your attention and make you feel unable to escape. □ [V P + on ] Everything is crowding in on me. □ [V P ] She tried to sleep, but thoughts crowded in and images flashed into her mind.
▸ crowd out PHRASAL VERB If one thing crowds out another, it is so successful or common that the other thing does not have the opportunity to be successful or exist. □ [V P n] My busy schedule crowded out nearly all time for reflection. [Also V n P ]
crowd|ed /kraʊ d I d/
1 ADJ If a place is crowded , it is full of people. □ He peered slowly around the small crowded room. [Also + with ]
2 ADJ If a place is crowded , a lot of people live there. □ …a crowded city of 2 million.
3 ADJ If your timetable, your life, or your mind is crowded , it is full of events, activities, or thoughts. □ Never before has a summit had such a crowded agenda. [Also + with ]
crowd|fund /kraʊ dfʌnd/ (crowdfunds , crowdfunding , crowdfunded ) VERB If you crowdfund a project, you get the money to pay for it by asking a large number of people to each give money. □ [V n] She crowdfunded her first book. □ [V -ed] Their crowdfunded legal fund has already collected more than $150,000.
crowd|fund|ing /kraʊ dfʌnd I ŋ/ N‑UNCOUNT Crowdfunding is when a large number of people each give an amount of money to pay for a project, especially by using a website to collect the money. □ The project was financed through crowdfunding.
cro wd-pleaser (crowd-pleasers ) also crowd pleaser N‑COUNT If you describe a performer, politician, or sports player as a crowd-pleaser , you mean they always please their audience. You can also describe an action or event as a crowd-pleaser . □ He gets spectacular goals and is a real crowd pleaser.
cro wd-puller (crowd-pullers ) also crowd puller N‑COUNT If you describe a performer or event as a crowd-puller , you mean that they attract a large audience. □ The exhibition is hardly a crowd-puller.
crowd|sourc|ing /kraʊ dsɔː r s I ŋ/ N‑UNCOUNT Crowdsourcing is the practice of getting ideas or help on a project from a large number of people, usually through the internet. □ We used crowdsourcing to develop the software.
crown ◆◇◇ /kraʊ n/ (crowns , crowning , crowned )
1 N‑COUNT A crown is a circular ornament, usually made of gold and jewels, which a king or queen wears on their head at official ceremonies. You can also use crown to refer to anything circular that is worn on someone's head. □ [+ of ] …a crown of flowers.
2 N‑PROPER The government of a country that has a king or queen is sometimes referred to as the Crown . In British criminal cases the prosecutor is the Crown . □ She says the sovereignty of the Crown must be preserved. □ …a Minister of the Crown. □ …chief witness for the Crown.
3 VERB [usu passive] When a king or queen is crowned , a crown is placed on their head as part of a ceremony in which they are officially made king or queen. □ [be V -ed] Elizabeth was crowned in Westminster Abbey on 2 June 1953. □ [be V -ed n] Two days later, Juan Carlos was crowned king. □ [V -ed] …the newly-crowned King.
4 N‑COUNT [usu sing] Your crown is the top part of your head, at the back. □ [+ of ] He laid his hand gently on the crown of her head.