crow over
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˌkɹəʊ ˈəʊvə(ɹ)/
ipa: /ˌkɹoʊ ˈoʊvɚ/
Forms: form: crows over
form: crowing over
form: crowed over
form: crew over
form: crowed over
form: crew over
form: crown over
form: crow ouer
Etymology: crow (“to speak in exultation, exult loudly, boast; swagger”) + over.
Senses: examples: text: [They are] inferiors to the ministers of the word, as our aduersaries doe confesse, and is plaine also by the cannon lawe they crow ouer them as if they wer their slaues.
ref: 1588 June, anonymous [John Udall], “No Man to be Admitted to Church Office until by Sufficient Trial and Due Examination He is Found by the Eldership to be Fit”, in A Demonstration of the Trueth of that Discipline which Christe hath Prescribed in His Worde for the Gouernment of His Church, in All Times and Places, vntill the Ende of the Worlde: Wherein are Gathered into a Plaine Forme of Reasoning, the Proofes thereof; out of the Scriptures, the Euidence of It by the Light of Reason Rightly Ruled, and the Testimonies that haue beene Giuen therevnto, by the Course of the Churche certaine Hundredths of Yeares after the Apostles Time; and the Generall Consent of the Churches Rightly Reformed in these Latter Times: According as They are Alleaged and Maintained, in those Seuerall Bookes that haue bin Written Concerning the Same, [East Molesey, Greater London: R[obert] Waldegrave], OCLC 62049212; republished as Edward Arber, editor, A Demonstration of the Truth of that Discipline, which Christ hath Prescribed in His Word, for the Government of His Church, in All Times and Places, until the End of the World (The English Scholar's Library of Old and Modern Works; 9), London: [the editor], 2 August 1880, OCLC 4254679, page 40, paragraph 4
text: The world is of an encroaching nature, hard it is to converſe with it, and not come into bondage to it; as Hagar (when Abraham ſhew'd her ſome reſpect more than ordinary) began to conteſt with, yea, crow over her Miſtreſſe; ſo will our worldly employments juſtle with our heavenly, if we keep not a ſtrict hand over them.
ref: 1659, William Gurnall, “A Third Instance wherein the Power of Holiness Must Appear, and that is in the Christians Worldly Employments”, in The Christian in Compleat Armour or, a Treatise of the Saints War against the Devil, wherein a Discovery is Made of that Grand Enemy of God and His People, in His Policies, Power, Seat of His Empire, Wickednesse, and Chief Design He Hath against the Saints. A Magazin Open'd from whence the Christian is Furnished with Spiritual Armes for the Battel, Help't on with His Armour, and Taught the Use of His Weapon, together with the Happy Issue of the Whole Warre. The Second Part, 2nd corr. edition, volume 14, London: Imprimatur, Edm. Calamy. Printed for Ralph Smith, at the Bible in Cornhill near the Royall Exchange, →OCLC, page 252, paragraph 5:
text: The lady herself, though a paragon of virtue, is not too amiable or humble. Before her misfortunes, she is pert and flippant to her family, particularly to her sister, whom she crows over with vulgar vanity.
ref: 1841, [Robert Plumer Ward], “chapter XXII”, in De Clifford; or, The Constant Man. … In Four Volumes, volume I, London: Henry Colburn, publisher, Great Marlborough Street, →OCLC, page 260:
text: "Don't talk to me about tender strings," said Jonas, wiping his forehead with the cuff of his coat. "I'm not going to be crowed over by you, because I don't like dead company." / Mr. Pecksniff had got out the words "Crowed over, Mr. Jonas!" when that young man, with a dark expression in his countenance, cut him short once more: […]
ref: 1842 December – 1844 July, Charles Dickens, “Chapter XX. Is a Chapter of Love.”, in The Life and Adventures of Martin Chuzzlewit, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1844, →OCLC, page 250:
text: The heads of the other movement […] practically, to use a vulgar expression, "crowed over them."
ref: 1901 January 3, “Viator”, “The Polish Danger [letter to the editor]”, in The Times, number 36,342, London, pages 5–6:
glosses: To triumph over (someone).
examples: text: The cock frightened me, like some overpowering angel in the Apocalypse. He seemed crowing over the fall of wicked Babylon, or crowing over the triumph of righteous Joshua in the vale of Askelon.
ref: 1853 December, Herman Melville, “Cock-A-Doodle-Doo! or, The Crowing of the Noble Cock Beneventano”, in Harper’s New Monthly Magazine, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, OCLC 1641392; republished in The Apple-tree Table and Other Sketches by Herman Melville: With an Introductory Note by Henry Chapin, Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press; London: Humphrey Milford, Oxford University Press, 1922, OCLC 1862070, page 249
glosses: To gloat over (a triumph, an opponent's defeat, someone else's misfortune).