King James Bible Dictionary

CROW, noun [G., Latin ]

1. A large black fowl, of the genus Corvus; the beak is convex and cultrated, the nostrils are covered with bristly feathers, the tongue is forked and cartilaginous. This is a voracious fowl, feeding on carrion and grain, particularly maiz, which it pulls up, just after it appears above ground.

To pluck or pull a crow is to be industrious or contentious about a trifle, or thing of no value.

2. A bar of iron with a beak, crook or two claws, used in raising and moving heavy weights.

3. The voice of the cock. [See the Verb.]

CROW, verb intransitive preterit tense and participle passive crowed; formerly, preterit tense crew. [Gr. See the Noun.]

1. To cry or make a noise as a cock, in joy, gaiety or defiance.

2. To boast in triumph; to vaunt; to vapor; to swagger. [A popular, but not an elegant use of the word.]

CROW-BAR, noun A bar of iron sharpened at one end, used as a lever for raising weights.

CROW-BERRY, noun A plant of the genus Empetrum, or berry-bearing heath. One species bears the crow-crake berries.

CROWD, CROWTH, noun An instrument of music with six strings; a kind of violin.

CROWDED, participle passive Collected and pressed; pressed together; urged; driven; filled by a promiscuous multitude.

CROWDER, noun A fiddler; one who plays on a crowd.

CROWDING, participle present tense Pressing together; pushing; thrusting; driving; assembling in a promiscuous multitude; filling; urging.

CROW-FLOWER, noun A kind of campion.

CROW-FOOT, noun

1. On board of ships, a complication of small cords spreading out from a long block; used to suspend the awnings, or to keep the top sails from striking and fretting against the tops.

2. In botany, the Ranunculus, a genus of plants.

CROWING, participle present tense Uttering a particular voice, as a cock; boasting in triumph; vaunting; bragging.

CROW-KEEPER, noun A scarecrow. [Not used.]

1. Denotes the plate of gold in the front of the high priest's mitre (Exodus 29:6; 39:30). The same Hebrew word so rendered (ne'zer) denotes the diadem worn by Saul in battle (2 Samuel 1:10), and also that which was used at the coronation of Joash (2 Kings 11:12).

2. The more general name in Hebrew for a crown is 'atarah, meaning a "circlet." This is used of crowns and head ornaments of divers kinds, including royal crowns. Such was the crown taken from the king of Ammon by David (2 Samuel 12:30). The crown worn by the Assyrian kings was a high mitre, sometimes adorned with flowers. There are sculptures also representing the crowns worn by the early Egyptian and Persian kings. Sometimes a diadem surrounded the royal head-dress of two or three fillets. This probably signified that the wearer had dominion over two or three countries. In Revelation 12:3; 13:1, we read of "many crowns," a token of extended dominion.

3. The ancient Persian crown (Esther 1:11; 2:17; 6:8) was called kether; i.e., "a chaplet," a high cap or tiara. Crowns were worn sometimes to represent honour and power (Ezekiel 23:42). They were worn at marriages (Song of Solomon 3:11; Isaiah 61:10, "ornaments;" R.V., "a garland"), and at feasts and public festivals.

The crown was among the Romans and Greeks a symbol of victory and reward. The crown or wreath worn by the victors in the Olympic games was made of leaves of the wild olive; in the Pythian games, of laurel; in the Nemean games, of parsley; and in the Isthmian games, of the pine. The Romans bestowed the "civic crown" on him who saved the life of a citizen. It was made of the leaves of the oak. In opposition to all these fading crowns the apostles speak of the incorruptible crown, the crown of life (James 1:12; Revelation 2:10) "that fadeth not away" (1 Peter 5:4, Gr. amarantinos; comp. 1:4). Probably the word "amaranth" was applied to flowers we call "everlasting," the "immortal amaranth."

Prescribed for priests
Exodus 29:6; Exodus 39:30; Leviticus 8:9

Worn by kings
2 Samuel 1:10; 2 Samuel 12:30; 2 Kings 11:12; Esther 6:8; Song of Solomon 3:11; Revelation 6:2

Worn by queens
Esther 1:11; Esther 2:17; Esther 8:15

Made of gold
Psalms 21:3; Zech 6:11

Of victory
2 Timothy 2:5

An ornament
Ezekiel 23:42; Ezekiel 16:12

Set with gems
2 Samuel 12:30; 1 Chronicles 20:2; Zech 9:16; Isaiah 62:3

Of thorns
Matthew 27:29; Mark 15:17; John 19:5

Figurative
Isaiah 28:5; 1 Corinthians 9:25; 2 Timothy 4:8; James 1:12; 1 Peter 5:4; Revelation 2:10; Revelation 3:11

Symbolic
Revelation 4:4; Revelation 4:10; Revelation 6:2; Revelation 9:7; Revelation 12:1; Revelation 12:3; Revelation 13:1; Revelation 14:14; Revelation 19:12

This ornament, which is both ancient and universal, probably originated from the fillets used to prevent the hair from being dishevelled by the wind. Such fillets are still common; they gradually developed into turbans, which by the addition of ornamental or precious materials assumed the dignity of mitres or crowns. Both the ordinary priests and the high priest wore them. The crown was a symbol of royalty, and was worn by kings, (2 Chronicles 23:11) and also by queens. (Esther 2:17) The head-dress of bridegrooms, (Ezekiel 24:17; Isaiah 61:10) Bar. 5.2, and of women, (Isaiah 3:20) a head-dress of great splendor, (Isaiah 28:5) a wreath of flowers, (Proverbs 1:9; 4:9) denote crowns. In general we must attach to it the notion of a costly turban irradiated with pearls and gems of priceless value, which often form aigrettes for feathers, as in the crowns of modern Asiatics sovereigns. Such was probably the crown which weighed (or rather "was worth") a talent, mentioned in (2 Samuel 12:30) taken by David from the king of Ammon at Rabbah, and used as the state crown of Judah. (2 Samuel 12:30) In (Revelation 12:3; 19:12) allusion is made to "many crowns" worn in token of extended dominion. The laurel, pine or parsley crowns given to victors int he great games of Greece are finely alluded to by St. Paul. (1 Corinthians 9:25; 2 Timothy 2:5) etc.

CROWN, noun [G., Latin ]

1. An ornament worn on the head by kings and sovereign princes, as a badge of imperial or regal power and dignity. Figuratively, regal power; royalty; kingly government, or executive authority.

2. A wreath or garland.

3. Honorary distinction; reward.

They do it to obtain a corruptible crown; we, an incorruptible. 1 Corinthians 9:25.

4. Honor; splendor; dignity.

The crown has fallen from our heads. Lamentations 5:16. Philippians 4:1.

A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband. Proverbs 12:4.

5. The top of the head; the top of a mountain or other elevated object. The end of an anchor, or the point from which the arms proceed.

6. The part of a hat which covers the top of the head.

7. A coin anciently stamped with the figure of a crown The English crown is five shillings sterling. The French crown is a hundred and nine cents. Other coins bear the same name.

8. Completion; accomplishment.

9. Clerical tonsure in a circular form; a little circle shaved on the top of the head, as a mark of ecclesiastical office or distinction.

10. Among jewelers, the upper work of a rose diamond.

11. In botany, an appendage to the top of a seed, which serves to bear it in the wind.

CROWN, verb transitive

1. To invest with a crown or regal ornament. Hence, to invest with regal dignity and power.

2. To cover, as with a crown; to cover the top.

And peaceful olives crowned his hoary head.

3. To honor; to dignify; to adorn.

Thou hast crowned him with glory and honor. Psalms 8:5.

4. To reward; to bestow an honorary reward or distinction on; as the victor crowned with laurel.

5. To reward; to recompense.

Shell crown a grateful and a constant flame.

6. To terminate or finish; to complete; to perfect.

7. To terminate and reward; as, our efforts were crowned with success.

Our Lord was crowned with a, in mockery by the Romans (Matthew 27:29). The object of Pilate's guard in doing this was probably to insult, and not specially to inflict pain. There is nothing to show that the shrub thus used was, as has been supposed, the spina Christi, which could have been easily woven into a wreath. It was probably the thorny nabk, which grew abundantly round about Jerusalem, and whose flexible, pliant, and round branches could easily be platted into the form of a crown. (See THORN, 3.)

(Matthew 27:29) Our Lord was crowned with thorns in mockery by the Roman soldiers. Obviously some small flexile thorny shrub is meant perhaps Capparis spinosa. "Hasselquist, a Swedish naturalist, supposes a very common plant naba or nubka of the Arabs, with many small and sharp sines; soft, round and pliant branches; leaves much resembling ivy, of a very deep green, as if in designed mockery of a victor's wreath."

Alford.

CROWNED, participle passive Invested with a crown, or with regal power and dignity; honored; dignified; rewarded with a crown, wreath, garland or distinction; recompensed; terminated; completed; perfected.

CROWNER, noun He or that which crowns or completes.

CROWNET, noun A coronet, which see. Shakspeare has used it for chief end or last purpose; but this sense is singular.

CROW-NET, noun In England, a net for catching wild fowls; the net used in New England for catching wild pigeons.

CROWN-GLASS, noun The finest sort of English window-glass.

CROWN-IMPERIAL, noun A plant of the genus Fritillaria, having a beautiful flower.

CROWNING, participle present tense Investing with a crown, or with royalty or supreme power; honoring with a wreath or with distinction; adorning; rewarding; finishing; perfecting.

CROWNING, noun

1. In architecture, the finishing of a member or any ornamental work.

2. In marine language, the finishing part of a knot, or interweaving of the strands.

CROWN-OFFICE, noun In England, an office belonging to the court of Kings Bench, of which the kings coroner or attorney is commonly master, and in which the attorney general and clerk exhibit informations for crimes and misdemeanors.

CROWN-POST, noun In building, a post which stands upright in the middle, between two principal rafters.

CROWN-SCAB, noun A scab formed round the corners of a horses hoof, a cancerous and painful sore.

CROWN-THISTLE, noun A flower.

CROWN-WHEEL, noun In a watch, the upper wheel next the balance, which drives the balance, and in royal pendulums, is called the swing-wheel.

CROWN-WORK, noun In fortification, an outwork running into the field, consisting of two demi-bastions at the extremes and an entire bastion int he middle, with curtains. It is designed to gain some hill or advantageous post, and cover the other works.

CROWS-BILL, noun In surgery, a kind of forceps for extracting bullets and other things from wounds.

CROWS-FEET, noun The wrinkles under the eyes, which are the effects of age.

CROWS-FOOT, noun In the military art, a machine of iron, with four points, so formed that in whatever way it falls, there is one point upwards, and intended to stop or embarrass the approach or march of the enemys cavalry; a caltrop.

CROW-SILK, noun A plant, the Conferva rivalis.

CROWD, CROWTH noun An instrument of music with six strings; a kind of violin.

CROWD, noun [See Crew.]

1. Properly, a collection; a number of things collected, or closely pressed together.

2. A number of persons congregated and pressed together, or collected into a close body without order; a throng. Hence,

3. A multitude; a great number collected.

4. A number of things near together; a number promiscuously assembled or lying near each other; as a crowd of isles in the Egean Sea.

5. The lower orders of people; the populace; the vulgar.

CROWD, verb transitive

1. To press; to urge; to drive together.

2. To fill by pressing numbers together without order; as, to crowd a room with people; to crowd the memory with ideas.

3. To fill to excess.

Volumes of reports crowd a lawyers library.

4. To encumber by multitudes.

5. To urge; to press by solicitation; to dun.

6. In seamanship, to crowd sail, is to carry an extraordinary force of sail, with a view to accelerate the course of a ship, as in chasing or escaping from an enemy; to carry a press of sail.

CROWD, verb intransitive

1. To press in numbers; as, the multitude crowded through the gate or into the room.

2. To press; to urge forward; as, the man crowded into the room.

3. To swarm or be numerous.

CROW-TOE, noun A plant; as the tufted crow-toe