cruise

¹cruise

verb \ˈkrüz\

cruisedcruis·ing

Definition of CRUISE

intransitive verb

1

: to sail about touching at a series of ports

2

: to move or proceed speedily, smoothly, or effortlessly <I'll cruise over to her house to see if she's home>

3

: to travel without destination or purpose

4

a : to go about the streets at random but on the lookout for possible developments <the cabdriver cruised for an hour before being hailed>

b : to search (as in public places) for a sexual partner

5

a of an airplane : to fly at the most efficient operating speed

b of an automobile : to travel at a speed suitable for being maintained for a long distance

transitive verb

1

: to cruise over or about

2

: to inspect (as land) with reference to possible lumber yield

3

a : to search in (a public place) for a sexual partner

b : to approach and suggest sexual relations to

4

: to explore or search the offerings of; especially : surf <cruise the Internet>

Examples of CRUISE

1. We cruised for a week down the Yangtze River.
2. He dreams of cruising the Mediterranean.
3. The bus was cruising at 55 miles per hour.
4. We were cruising along the highway.
5. The plane was cruising at 30,000 feet.
6. On Friday nights, teenagers cruise the main street in town to show off their cars.
7. A car cruised past us.

Origin of CRUISE

Dutch kruisen to make a cross, cruise, from Middle Dutch crucen, from crūce cross, from Latin cruc-, crux

First Known Use: 1651

Related to CRUISE

Synonyms

bat, wander, drift, float, gad (about), gallivant (also galavant), kick around, knock (about), maunder, meander, mooch, ramble, range, roam, rove, traipse

Antonyms

flounder, struggle

Related Words

amble, saunter, stroll; dawdle, mope; gypsy, hobo, tramp, vagabond; mill (about or around); straggle, stray

Near Antonyms

limp, lumber, plod, stumble, trudge; shamble, shuffle; stamp, stomp, stump, tramp; labor, toil

Rhymes with CRUISE

blues, booze, bruise, choose, cruse, Druze, flews, fuse, lose, Meuse, muse, news, ooze, Ouse, roose, ruse, schmooze, snooze, trews, use, whose

²cruise

noun

Definition of CRUISE

: an act or an instance of cruising; especially : a tour by ship

Examples of CRUISE

1. We went on a weeklong cruise down the Yangtze River.
2. They went on a cruise for their honeymoon.

First Known Use of CRUISE

1696

Related to CRUISE

Synonyms

crossing, sail, passage, voyage

Other Nautical Terms

avast, aweigh, flotsam, jib, keel, lee, port, starboard, stay