Middle English Dictionary Entry
crọ̄ken v.
Entry Info
| Forms | crọ̄ken v. Also croki, crouken; (N) cruken, crucken. |
| Etymology | OE *crōcian, crōcod. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Of an object: (a) to curve, be curved; (b) to bend, wind, twist; ~ doun; ~ awei, twist (sth.) off; (c) to curl (the hair); (d) to bend (the knees).
Associated quotations
a
- c1380 Vncomly in (Arun 292)p.292 : Summe notes arn shorte..Somme kroken a-weyward als a fleshoke.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)72 : A good hunters horn shuld be..nought to crokyng neiþer to straught.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.2507 : His swerd, whiche crokeþ so ageyn.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)12a/a : Þe erez bene cartilaginous & amfractuous i.crokyng aboue þe bone petrosum ordeynd for to here.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)24/23 : Þe tane..crukez donwardez at þe ouerend.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Merlin (Corp-C 80)17853 : An vggely cherl..long he was, with legges crokend.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)2393 : The lifte horn may croke..as may be moost availe, The wal to breke.
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apost.(Dub 245)437 : To seye þat þe bemes of þe sonne crooken.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)31a : To Cruke: Aduncare, arcuare, camerare, diuaricare, flectere, lacimare, lentare, lunare, obliquare, repandere, fumare, vncare.
- a1500(?a1475) Guy(4) (Cmb Ff.2.38)2161 : The bryght helme was croked downe Vnto þe mydward of hys crowne.
b
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)250a/b : Þat þey bende nought neiþer croke to swithe.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)252b/b : A ȝerde schal strecche vpright of it self..if it happeþ þat þey crokeþ and bendeþ doun ward toward þe erþe.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)267b/b : Somme [serpents]..glydeþ away wigelyng and crokyng & somme..goþ forþ right.
- c1465(?1373) *Lelamour Macer (Sln 5)35b : He growiþ crokyng by the grownde.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)2.210 : A letuce vp they plucke, And from his roote vche foil awey they crucke [L carpunt].
c
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)177/1 : Þe men þet doþ zuo grat payne ham to kembe..and ine hare here wel to croki.
d
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)275a/a : Whanne he [the camel] fongeþ charges vpon him, þanne he bendeþ and crokeþ þe knees.
2.
Of the human body or a member of it: (a) to become stooped, bent, twisted, or crippled; (b) to cause to stoop or twist; cripple; ~ in.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Magd.(2) (LdMisc 108)564 : Þo bi-gonne hise þeon to schrinke and to croki [vrr. croke, kroky] swiþe faste.
- ?c1335 Elde makiþ me (Hrl 913)p.171 : I clyng, i cluche, i croke, i couwe.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.185 : In his elde þe stature boweþ and crokeþ and stoupeþ adoun.
- c1390 Whon Men beoþ (Vrn)98 : Me merueyles ouer al Þat God let mony mon croke and elde.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)67b/b : Þe sinewis schrinken, þe body bendiþ & crokeþ.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)99b/b : Þe fyngres schrinkeþ & crokeþ.
- c1410 Mirror Sinners(1) (UC 97)439 : The body croketh, the flesch widerith.
b
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)61 : Gif he..us crokeð on fote oðer on honde oðer on alle ure limes binimeð us ure hele.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Ps.68.24 : The rig of hem euermor crooke thou in [WB(2): bouwe doun; L incurva].
- c1450(a1449) Lydg.Prayer OA (Hat 73)26 : Whenne febylnesse hath crokyd bak and chyne.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)287 : Elde..Croked me, cowrbed me, encrampeschet myn hondes.
3.
Of a person: (a) to bow or stoop; (b) to bow in deference or humility.
Associated quotations
a
- a1400(?a1325) Bonav.Medit.(1) (Hrl 1701)149 : He stode krokyng, on knees knelyng.
- c1440 St.Chris.(Thrn)366 : In-to þe water he crokede downe and was in perell for to drowne.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)168/240 : I can nowthir croke nor knele.
- a1500(a1400) Ipom.(1) (Chet 8009)6259 : Crokand wyth his backe he roode.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)193/228 : I can nawthere crowke ne knele.
- a1550 Lament Duch.Glo.(Bal 354)p.206 : So sodenly down for to falle..To crok and knele.
b
- c1425 Wycl.Antichr.(2) (Dub 245)p.cxxvi : Crist wold not worldly lordschip & þei croken fast to hem.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)65.10 : Thou sett tribulaciouns in oure bake to gere vs kroke down til meknes.
- c1600(?c1395) PPl.Creed (Trin-C R.3.15)751 : Knyȝtes croukeþ hem to & crucheþ full lowe.
4.
(a) To turn (aside); (b) to take (a certain) course; (c) to distort or pervert (sth.).
Associated quotations
a
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4872 : Þai croke ouire crosse to cache þaim anothire [way], Þat led þam to þe left hand.
b
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)371/139 : How so the gam crokys, Examyn oure bokys!
c
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.522 : Sche ne mai..speke a word..That he ne wol it wende and croke And torne after his oghne entente.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)130 : Gladliche j hooke to me the name of an oother and crooke it..A proued theef j am of al good name.
5.
Fig. (a) To stray from the right belief or from proper conduct, falter in one's faith; ~ fro; ~ to, turn to (sin); (b) to make (sb.) go astray, mislead; crokinde creftes, tricks (of the devil) to lead (man) astray.
Associated quotations
a
- a1400 Ancr.Recl.(Pep 2498)114/29 : Nomore ne haþ he on vs, bot ȝif oure bileue crook.
- a1400 Ancr.Recl.(Pep 2498)117/2 : Þat þi bileue ne crook nouȝth along, þat is þat þou ne faile nouȝth in bileue.
- ?a1425(a1415) Wycl.Lantern (Hrl 2324)19/26 : Þise þre spiritis croking in coueitis, glotenie & leccherie, bitokenen anticrist.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Is.9.14 : The Lord schal leese fro Israel the heed and the tail crokynge and bischrewynge ether refreynynge [L incurvantem et refrenandem] in o dai.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)2.289 : Al þes new ordres, þat croken fro ordenaunce of Crist, ȝyven occasioun to synne.
- ?c1430(c1400) Wycl.Serv.& L.(Corp-C 296)230 : His herte schal not be lift vp in-to pride..& he schal not croke in-to þe riȝtte side ne in-to þe left side.
- a1500 Mirror Salv.(Beeleigh)p.52 : Be lust of mans lavde he crokes to vaynglorie.
b
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)256 : Þe feont..bimong alle his crokinde creftes, wið neauer an ne keccheð he creftiluker cang men..þen þet [etc.].
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Ps.56.7 : Thei maden redi a grene to my feet and thei myche crookeden [WB(2): boweden; L incurvaverunt] my soule.
- a1400(c1340) Rolle Psalter (Hat 12)14/57 : Þai croked my saule.
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)56.8 : Snare graiþed þai..And mi saule þen croked þa.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1500 Hrl.3151 Limn.Recipes (Hrl 3151) 232/20 : Burnysh it with the tothe of an ox or of an hors that is welle ordanyd and made smothe therto standynge in crokyng styk.
Note: Glossary: "crokyng adj. 'crooked'." Additional quot., ?prob. sense 1.(a).