Crane
    n 1: United States writer (1871-1900) [syn: Crane, Stephen
         Crane]
    2: United States poet (1899-1932) [syn: Crane, Hart Crane,
       Harold Hart Crane]
    3: a small constellation in the southern hemisphere near Phoenix
       [syn: Grus, Crane]
    4: lifts and moves heavy objects; lifting tackle is suspended
       from a pivoted boom that rotates around a vertical axis
    5: large long-necked wading bird of marshes and plains in many
       parts of the world
    v 1: stretch (the neck) so as to see better; "The women craned
         their necks to see the President drive by" [syn: crane,
         stretch out]

Cran \Cran\ (kr[a^]n), Crane \Crane\ (kr[=a]n), n. [Scot., fr.
   Gael. crann.]
   A measure for fresh herrings, -- as many as will fill a
   barrel. [Scot.] --H. Miller.
   [1913 Webster]

Crane \Crane\ (kr[=a]n), n. [AS. cran; akin to D. & LG. craan,
   G. kranich, krahn (this in sense 2), Gr. ge`ranos, L. grus,
   W. & Armor. garan, OSlav. zerav[i^], Lith. gerve, Icel.
   trani, Sw. trana, Dan. trane. [root]24. Cf. Geranium.]
   1. (Zool.) A wading bird of the genus Grus, and allied
      genera, of various species, having a long, straight bill,
      and long legs and neck.
      [1913 Webster]

   Note: The common European crane is Grus cinerea. The
         sand-hill crane (Grus Mexicana) and the whooping
         crane (Grus Americana) are large American species.
         The Balearic or crowned crane is Balearica pavonina.
         The name is sometimes erroneously applied to the herons
         and cormorants.
         [1913 Webster]

   2. Any arm which swings about a vertical axis at one end,
      used for supporting a suspended weight.
      [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

   3. A machine for raising and lowering heavy weights, and,
      while holding them suspended, transporting them through a
      limited lateral distance. In one form it consists of a
      projecting arm or jib of timber or iron, a rotating post
      or base, and the necessary tackle, windlass, etc.; -- so
      called from a fancied similarity between its arm and the
      neck of a crane See Illust. of Derrick.
      [1913 Webster]

   4. An iron arm with horizontal motion, attached to the side
      or back of a fireplace, for supporting kettles, etc., over
      a fire.
      [1913 Webster]

   5. A siphon, or bent pipe, for drawing liquors out of a cask.
      [1913 Webster]

   6. (Naut.) A forked post or projecting bracket to support
      spars, etc., -- generally used in pairs. See Crotch, 2.
      [1913 Webster]

   7. (Zool.) The American blue heron (Ardea herodias).
      [Local, U. S.]
      [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

   Crane fly (Zool.), a dipterous insect with long legs, of
      the genus Tipula.

   Derrick crane. See Derrick.

   Gigantic crane. (Zool.) See Adjutant, n., 3.

   Traveling crane, Traveler crane, Traversing crane
      (Mach.), a crane mounted on wheels; esp., an overhead
      crane consisting of a crab or other hoisting apparatus
      traveling on rails or beams fixed overhead, as in a
      machine shop or foundry.

   Water crane, a kind of hydrant with a long swinging spout,
      for filling locomotive tenders, water carts, etc., with
      water.
      [1913 Webster]

Crane \Crane\ (kr[=a]n), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Craned
   (kr[=a]nd); p. pr. & vb. n. Craning.]
   1. To cause to rise; to raise or lift, as by a crane; -- with
      up. [R.]
      [1913 Webster]

            What engines, what instruments are used in craning
            up a soul, sunk below the center, to the highest
            heavens.                              --Bates.
      [1913 Webster]

            An upstart craned up to the height he has.
                                                  --Massinger.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To stretch, as a crane stretches its neck; as, to crane
      the neck disdainfully. --G. Eliot.
      [1913 Webster]

crane \crane\, v. i.
   to reach forward with head and neck, in order to see better;
   as, a hunter cranes forward before taking a leap.
   --Beaconsfield. Thackeray.
   [1913 Webster]

         The passengers eagerly craning forward over the
         bulwarks.                                --Howells.
   [1913 Webster]

Crotch \Crotch\ (kr[o^]ch; 224), n.; pl. Crotches
   (kr[o^]ch"[e^]z). [Cf. Crotchet, Crutch.]
   1. The angle formed by the parting of two legs or branches; a
      fork; the point where a trunk divides; as, the crotch of a
      tree. more specifically, the space on the human torso
      between the two legs; also, the corresponding part between
      the legs of a pair of pants, which is in contact with the
      crotch of the wearer; as, pants with a tight crotch have
      become very popular.
      [1913 Webster +PJC]

   2. (Naut.) A stanchion or post of wood or iron, with two arms
      for supporting a boom, spare yards, etc.; -- called also
      crane and crutch. --Totten.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. (Billiards) In the three-ball carom game, a small space at
      each corner of the table. See Crotched, below.
      [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

Crane
   (Isa. 38:14; Jer. 8:7). In both of these passages the Authorized
   Version has reversed the Hebrew order of the words. "Crane or
   swallow" should be "swallow or crane," as in the Revised
   Version. The rendering is there correct. The Hebrew for crane is
   _'agur_, the Grus cincerea, a bird well known in Palestine. It
   is migratory, and is distinguished by its loud voice, its cry
   being hoarse and melancholy.
   

Crane -- U.S. County in Texas
   Population (2000):    3996
   Housing Units (2000): 1596
   Land area (2000):     785.557555 sq. miles (2034.584640 sq. km)
   Water area (2000):    0.028932 sq. miles (0.074934 sq. km)
   Total area (2000):    785.586487 sq. miles (2034.659574 sq. km)
   Located within:       Texas (TX), FIPS 48
   Location:             31.440275 N, 102.452072 W
   Headwords:
    Crane
    Crane, TX
    Crane County
    Crane County, TX

Crane, IN -- U.S. town in Indiana
   Population (2000):    203
   Housing Units (2000): 112
   Land area (2000):     0.119030 sq. miles (0.308287 sq. km)
   Water area (2000):    0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km)
   Total area (2000):    0.119030 sq. miles (0.308287 sq. km)
   FIPS code:            15652
   Located within:       Indiana (IN), FIPS 18
   Location:             38.892703 N, 86.901294 W
   ZIP Codes (1990):    
   Note: some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.
   Headwords:
    Crane, IN
    Crane

Crane, TX -- U.S. city in Texas
   Population (2000):    3191
   Housing Units (2000): 1278
   Land area (2000):     1.019574 sq. miles (2.640684 sq. km)
   Water area (2000):    0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km)
   Total area (2000):    1.019574 sq. miles (2.640684 sq. km)
   FIPS code:            17516
   Located within:       Texas (TX), FIPS 48
   Location:             31.392949 N, 102.350751 W
   ZIP Codes (1990):     79731
   Note: some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.
   Headwords:
    Crane, TX
    Crane

Crane, MO -- U.S. city in Missouri
   Population (2000):    1390
   Housing Units (2000): 630
   Land area (2000):     1.471043 sq. miles (3.809985 sq. km)
   Water area (2000):    0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km)
   Total area (2000):    1.471043 sq. miles (3.809985 sq. km)
   FIPS code:            17074
   Located within:       Missouri (MO), FIPS 29
   Location:             36.903813 N, 93.571128 W
   ZIP Codes (1990):     65633
   Note: some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.
   Headwords:
    Crane, MO
    Crane