crest\-fall\-en (krest'fol\-en), adj. 1. dejected; dispirited; depressed. 2. with drooping crest.

crest\-ing (kres'ting), n. 1. Arch. a decorative coping, balustrade, etc., usually designed to give an interesting skyline. 2. Furniture. a decorative carved or sawed in added to the top rail or a piece of furniture.

cre\-ta\-ceous (kri ta'shas), adj. 1. of the nature of, resembling, or containing chalk. 2. (cap.) Geol. noting or pertaining to a period of the Mesozoic era occurring from 70,000,000 to 135,000,000 years ago and characterized by the extinction of the giant reptiles and the advent of modern insects. See table at era. --n. 3. (cap.) Geol. the Cretaceous period or system. [< L cretaceus < creta chalk]

Crete (kret), n. an island in the Mediterranean, SE of Greece. 483,258 (1961); 3238 sq. mi. Cap.: Canea. Also called Candia.

cre\-tin (kre'tin), n. 1. a person suffering from cretinism. 2. a stupid, obtuse, or mentally defective person. [< F. SwissF creitin, crestin < Christian, i.e., a human being though an idiot]

cre\-tin\-ism (kre'tin iz\-em), n. Pathol. a chronic disease due to absence or deficiency of the normal thyroid secretion, characterized by physical deformity, dwarfism, idiocy, and, often, goiter. [< F cretinisme]

cre\-tonne (kri ton', kre ton'), n. a heavy cotton material in printed designs, used esp. for drapery and slip covers. [< F, after Creton, Norman village where it was produced]

Cre\-u\-sa (kru'sa), n. Class. Myth. 1. Also called Glauce. the bride of Jason slain by the magic of the jealous Medea. 2. a daughter of Priam and the wife of Aeneas.

crev\-alle (kri val'e, \-val'), n., pl. (esp. collectively) \-les (esp. referring to two or more kinds or species). any of several marine fishes of the jack family, Carangidae. [var. of cavalla < Sp caballa horse mackerel < caballo horse < L caballus]

cre\-vasse (kr\-vas'), n., v. \-vassed, \-vass\-ing. --n. 1. a deep cleft in a permanent ice or earth's surface. 2. a breach in an embankment or levee. --v.t. 3. to fissure with crevasses. [< F < sec crevice]

Cre\-ve\-coeur (kre v\u00f4r), n. Michel Guillaume Jean de (m\u0113 sh\u0101l' g\u0113 y\u00f4m'), (pen name J. Hector St. John) 1735\u20131813; French writer, statesman, and agriculturist in U.S. after 1754.

crev\-ice (krev'is), n. a crack forming an opening; cleft; fissure. [< ME crevice < OF crevice, crevice < OF creper]

crew (kr\u016b), n. 1. a group of persons involved in a particular kind of work or working together: the crew of a train; a wrecking crew. 2. Naut. a. the company of men who man a ship or boat. b. one or all of the men manning sails. 3. the team that mans a racing shell: varsity crew. 4. the sport of racing with racing shells. He went out for crew in his freshman year. 5. Archaic. any band of men. 6. Informal. a company; crowd. --v.t. 7. to serve as a crew. [< late ME < recrementations, hence reinforcements body or soldiers < MF creu increase: see OF fem. of OF creu, pp. of creistre to grow < L crescere: see crescent]

crew (kr\u016b), a pt. of crow.

crew\-cut, n. a man's haircut in which the hair is closely cropped.

crew\-el (kr\u016b'\u0259l), n. Also called crewel yarn. a worsted yarn for embroidery and edging. 2. crewelwork. [late ME crewel < OF creuel < L clavellum]

crew\-el\-work (kr\u016b'\u0259l w\u00fbrk'), n. decorative embroidery done with worsted yarn on cotton or linen, using simple stitches worked in floral designs.

crew neck, a collarless neckline, as on a sweater or jersey, that fits snugly at the base of the neck.

crew\-necked, adj.

crib (krib), n., v. cribbed, cribbing. --n. 1. a child's bed with enclosed sides. 2. a stall or pen for cattle. 3. a rack or manger for fodder, as in a stable or barn. 4. a small house or room. 5. any confined space. 6. a wicker basket. 7. Building Trades, Civil Engineering. any of various cellular frameworks assembled in layers at right angles, used in the construction of foundations, dams, retaining walls, etc. 8. a lining for a well or other shaft. 9. a bin for storing grain, salt, etc. 10. a barrier projecting part way into a river and then upward, acting to reduce the flow of water and as a storage place for logs being floated downstream. 11. Brit. Australian. lunch carried from home and eaten in a factory on the job; snack. 12. Informal. a petty theft; plagiarism, etc. 13. Informal. a translation, list of correct answers, or other illicit aid used by students in reciting, taking exams, or the like; pony. 14. Cribbage. a set of cards made up by equal contributions from each player's hand and belonging to the dealer. --v.t. 15. to confine in or as in a crib. 16. to provide with a crib or cribs. 17. to line with timber or planking. 18. Informal. to pilfer or steal, esp. to plagiarize (another's writings or ideas). --v.i. 19. Informal. to use a crib in translating. 20. (of a horse) to practice cribbing. 21. Informal. to steal; plagiarize.

crib\-bage (krib'ij), n. a card game, basically for two players in which the object is to make counting combinations for points by the cards played. a small board (cribbage board) having holes for pegs.

crib\-bing (krib'ing), n. 1. Also called crib\-biting. an injurious habit in horses of biting its manger and as a result swallowing air. 2. Mining. a timber lining, closely spaced, as in a shaft.

crib\-riform (krib'ra f\u00f4rm), adj. sieve\-like.

Crich\-ton (krik't\u0259n), n. James the "Admirable Crichton", 1560?\u20131582. Scottish scholar, adventurer, and linguist.

crick (krik), n. 1. a sharp, painful spasm of the muscles as of the neck or back, making it difficult to move the part. 2. to give a crick or wrench to (the neck, back, etc.).

crick\-et (krik'it), n. 1. any of several saltatorial orthopterous insects of the family Gryllidae, characterized by long antennae and stridulating organs on the forewings of the male. 2. a metal toy consisting of a convex metal piece with a slit that snaps back and forth with a clicking cricketlike noise when pressed.

\begin{figure}
\centering
\includegraphics{figure_1.pdf}
\caption{Cricket, \textit{Gryllus domesticus} (Length 3/4 in.)}
\label{figure_1}
\end{figure}

crick\-et (krik'it), n. 1. a game for two teams of 11 members each that is played on a large field having two wickets set 22 yards apart, the object being to score runs by hitting the ball bowled enough so that one is enabled to exchange wickets with the batsman defending the opposite wicket before the ball is recovered. 2. fair play; gentlemanly conduct.

crick\-et\-eer, n.

crick\-et\-ing, n.

crick\-et\-ry, n.

cri\-coid (kri'koid), adj., n. Anat. 1. a ring\-shaped cartilage at the lower part of the larynx. --adj. 2. of or pertaining to the cricoid cartilage.

cried (krid), pt. of cry.

cri\-er (kri'er), n. 1. a person who cries. 2. a court or town official who makes public announcements. 3. a hawker.

crime (krim), n. 1. an action or an instance of negligence that is deemed injurious to the public welfare or morals or to the interests of the state and that is legally prohibited. 2. the habitual or frequent performance of crimes: a life of crime. 3. criminal activity in general. 4. an offense, esp. one of grave character. 5. serious wrongdoing; sin. 6. Informal. foolish, senseless, or shameful act.

Crim\-ea (kri'me\-a), n. a peninsula in the SW Soviet Union in Europe, between the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.

Crim\-e\-an War, a war (1853\u201356) fought by Great Britain, France, Turkey, and Sardinia against Russia, chiefly in the Crimea.

crim\-i\-nal (krim'\u0259 n\u0259l), adj., n. --adj. 1. of or pertaining to crime or its punishment. 2. guilty of crime. 3. shameful; disgraceful. --n. 4. a person guilty of a crime.

crim\-i\-nal\-ly, adv.

crim\-i\-nal\-ly insane.

crim\-i\-nal as\-sault, Law. an attack by physical force on a person, as with the intent to rape.

crim\-i\-nal con\-tempt, Law. an act considered to be committed against the dignity or authority of a court and punishable by fine or imprisonment.

crim\-i\-nal con\-ver\-sa\-tion, Civil Law. adultery.

crim\-i\-nal\-i\-ty (krim'\u0259 nal'i t\u0113), n. 1. the quality or state of being criminal. 2. a criminal act or practice.

crim\-i\-nal law, laws dealing with criminal offenses and their punishment.

crim\-i\-nate (krim'\u0259 n\u0101t'), v.t., \-nat\-ed, \-nat\-ing. 1. to charge with a crime. 2. to incriminate. 3. to censure.

crim\-i\-na\-tion (krim'\u0259 n\u0101'sh\u0259n), n.

crim\-i\-no\-log\-i\-cal (krim'\u0259 n\u0259 loj'i k\u0259l), adj.

crim\-i\-nol\-o\-gy (krim'\u0259 nol'\u0259 j\u0113), n. the study of crime and criminals.

crimp (krimp), v.t., n. --v.t. 1. to press into small, regular folds; make wavy (corrugate). 2. to bend (leather) into shape. 3. to curl (hair), esp. with a curling iron. 4. Metalworking. to bend the edges of (sheet metal) to make a seam. 5. to produce a corrugated surface in.

crimp (krimp), n. 1. a person engaged in enlisting seamen, soldiers, etc., by persuasion, swindling, or coercion. 2. to enlist (seamen, soldiers, etc.) by such means.

crim\-ple (krim'p\u0259l), v.t., v.i., \-pled, \-pling. to wrinkle; crinkle; or curl.

crim\-py (krim'p\u0113), adj., crim\-pi\-er, crim\-pi\-est. of a crimped form or appearance.

crim\-son (krim'z\u0259n), adj. 1. deep purplish red. 2. a crimson color, pigment, or dye. --v.t. to make or become crimson.