crook

adjective

Australia and New Zealand

: not right:

a

: unsatisfactory

b

: dishonest, crooked

c

: irritable, angry

—used especially in the phrase go crook

d

: ill, unwell

Word History

Etymology

probably short for crooked

First Known Use

1898, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing crook

• by hook or by crook

Rhymes for crook

• book
• brook
• hook
• look
• mook
• nook
• rook
• shook
• snook
• stook
• took
• betook

Kids Definition

crook

1 of 2 verb

ˈkru̇k 

: bend entry 1 sense 2, curve

crook

2 of 2 noun

1

: a shepherd's staff with one end curved into a hook

2

: a dishonest person (as a thief or swindler)

3

: a curved or hooked part of a thing : bend