5 N‑COUNT A crown is an artificial top piece fixed over a broken or decayed tooth.
6 N‑COUNT [oft n N ] In sport, winning an important competition is sometimes referred to as a crown . □ …his dream of a fourth Wimbledon crown.
7 VERB An achievement or event that crowns something makes it perfect, successful, or complete. □ [be V -ed by ] The summit was crowned by the signing of the historic START treaty. □ [V -ing] …the crowning achievement of his career.
Cro wn Cou rt (Crown Courts ) N‑COUNT [usu sing, oft in names] In England and Wales, a Crown Court is a court in which criminal cases are tried by a judge and jury rather than by a magistrate. □ He appeared at Manchester Crown Court on Thursday on a drink-driving charge.
cro wn je w|el (crown jewels ) N‑PLURAL The Crown Jewels are the crown, sceptre, and other precious objects which are used on important official occasions by the King or Queen.
Cro wn Pri nce (Crown Princes ) N‑COUNT A Crown Prince is a prince who will be king of his country when the present king or queen dies. □ …the crown prince's palace. □ …Sultan Mahmood's son, Crown Prince Ibrahim Mahmood.
Cro wn Pri n|cess (Crown Princesses ) N‑COUNT A Crown Princess is a princess who is the wife of a Crown Prince, or will be queen of her country when the present king or queen dies. □ …his second wife, Crown Princess Catherine.
cro wn pro s|ecu|tor (crown prosecutors ) N‑COUNT [usu sing] In Britain, a crown prosecutor is a lawyer who works for the state and who prosecutes people who are accused of crimes.
cro w's feet N‑PLURAL Crow's feet are wrinkles which some older people have at the outside corners of their eyes.
cro w's nest N‑SING On a ship, the crow's nest is a small platform high up on the mast, where a person can go to look in all directions.
cru|cial ◆◇◇ /kruː ʃ ə l/ ADJ If you describe something as crucial , you mean it is extremely important. □ He had administrators under him but took the crucial decisions himself. □ [+ to ] Improved consumer confidence is crucial to an economic recovery. ● cru|cial|ly ADV □ Chewing properly is crucially important. □ Crucially, though, it failed to secure the backing of the banks.
cru|ci|ate liga|ment /kruː ʃ I I t l I gəmənt, -e I t -/ (cruciate ligaments ) N‑COUNT A cruciate ligament is either of a pair of ligaments that cross at the knee. □ He will be out of the team for the rest of the season after damaging his cruciate ligaments.
cru|ci|ble /kruː s I b ə l/ (crucibles )
1 N‑COUNT A crucible is a pot in which metals or other substances can be melted or heated up to very high temperatures.
2 N‑SING Crucible is used to refer to a situation in which something is tested or a conflict takes place, often one which produces something new. [LITERARY ] □ [+ of ] …a system in which ideas are tested in the crucible of party contention.
cru|ci|fix /kruː s I f I ks/ (crucifixes ) N‑COUNT A crucifix is a cross with a figure of Christ on it.
cru|ci|fix|ion /kruː s I f I kʃ ə n/ (crucifixions )
1 N‑VAR Crucifixion is a way of killing people which was common in the Roman Empire, in which they were tied or nailed to a cross and left to die. □ [+ of ] …her historical novel about the crucifixion of Christians in Rome.
2 N‑PROPER The Crucifixion is the crucifixion of Christ. □ …the central message of the Crucifixion.
cru|ci|form /kruː s I fɔː r m/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] A cruciform building or object is shaped like a cross. [FORMAL ] □ …a cruciform tower.
cru|ci|fy /kru ːs I fa I / (crucifies , crucifying , crucified )
1 VERB [usu passive] If someone is crucified , they are killed by being tied or nailed to a cross and left to die. □ [be V -ed] …the day that Christ was crucified.
2 VERB To crucify someone means to criticize or punish them severely. [INFORMAL ] □ [V n] She'll crucify me if she finds you still here.
crude /kruː d/ (cruder , crudest , crudes )
1 ADJ A crude method or measurement is not exact or detailed, but may be useful or correct in a rough, general way. □ Measurements of blood pressure are a crude way of assessing the risk of heart disease. ● crude|ly ADV [usu ADV with v, oft ADV adj] □ The donors can be split–a little crudely–into two groups.
2 ADJ If you describe an object that someone has made as crude , you mean that it has been made in a very simple way or from very simple parts. □ …crude wooden boxes. ● crude|ly ADV [usu ADV -ed] □ …a crudely-carved wooden form.
3 ADJ If you describe someone as crude , you disapprove of them because they speak or behave in a rude, offensive, or unsophisticated way. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ Nev! Must you be quite so crude? □ …crude language. ● crude|ly ADV [usu ADV with v, oft ADV adj] □ He hated it when she spoke so crudely.
4 ADJ [ADJ n] Crude substances are in a natural or unrefined state, and have not yet been used in manufacturing processes. □ …8.5 million tonnes of crude steel.
5 N‑VAR Crude is the same as crude oil .
cru de oi l N‑UNCOUNT Crude oil is oil in its natural state before it has been processed or refined.
crudi|tés /kruː d I te I , [AM ] -te I / N‑PLURAL Crudités are pieces of raw vegetable, often served before a meal.
cru|el /kruː əl/ (crueller , cruellest ) in AM, use crueler , cruelest 1 ADJ Someone who is cruel deliberately causes pain or distress to people or animals. □ Children can be so cruel. □ Don't you think it's cruel to cage a creature up? ● cru|el|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ Douglas was often cruelly tormented by jealous siblings.