Forms: 1 crocca, 3 krocke, 3–7 crocke, 4 crokk(e, 5–6 crok, 6– crock. [OE. croc(c and crocca masc., earthenware pot or pitcher, related to Icel. krukka f. (Da. krukke, Sw. kruka) in same sense; and perh. more remotely to CROH and CROUKE. Whether the Celtic words, MIr. crocan, Gael. crogan (see CROGGAN), Welsh crochan ‘pot,’ are related, is not determined.]

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  1.  An earthen pot, jar, or other vessel.

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c. 1000.  Sax. Leechd., I. 238. Do [the herbs] on anne niwne croccan.

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a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 346. Kulle al ut þet is iðe krocke.

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1399.  Langl., Rich. Redeles, II. 52. Cast adoun the crokk the colys amyd.

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1542.  MS. Acc. St. John’s Hosp., Canterb., For a crock to put mylk in jd.

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1596.  Spenser, F. Q., V. ii. 33. The vulgar did about him flocke … Like foolish flies about an hony-crocke.

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1674.  Ray, S. & E. C. Words, 63. Crock, an Earthen pot to put butter or the like in.

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1709.  Steele, Tatler, No. 37, ¶ 3. His Whip throws down a Cabinet of China: He cries, What! Are your Crocks rotten?

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1848.  Kingsley, Saint’s Trag., IV. ii. 121. Her only furniture An earthen crock or two.

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  2.  A pot of iron or other metal. (S.W. of Eng.)

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c. 1475.  Exeter Tailors’ Gild, in Eng. Gilds, 320. A brasen krocke of ij galons and more, a pache clowted in the brem with laten.

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1605.  in Wadley, Bristol Wills (1886), 269. The lesser brasse Crocke.

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1746.  Exmoor Courtship (E. D. S.), 88. Thare be more … than can boil tha crock.

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1885.  E. C. Sharland, Ways & Means Devonsh. Village, 60. Just a pie made in a crock—the big kettle you see hanging over the fire in farm-houses.

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1888.  W. Somerset Word-bk., Crock … a cast-iron cooking-pot only…. It has a loose bow-handle … and three little legs.

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  3.  A broken piece of earthenware, a potsherd, such as is used to cover the hole in a flower-pot.

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1850.  Florist, 84. Turn it out of the pot, remove the crocks.

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1851.  Glenny, Handbk. Fl. Gard., 10. Put plenty of crocks to reach one-third of the height of the pot.

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  4.  Comb., as crock-butter; crockman, a seller of crockery; crock-saw, an iron bar with teeth like a saw, suspended over a fire-place to carry ‘crocks’ or pots; crock-stick, a stick used to stir a pot, support the lid, etc.; a ‘thivel.’

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14[?].  Metr. Voc., in Wr.-Wülcker, 626/8. Contus, crokstyke.

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1792.  J. Wolcott (P. Pindar), Ode to Acad. Chair, Wks. 1812, III. 49. Get thyself to Skewers and Crock-sticks turn’d.

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1851.  Mayhew, Lond. Labour, II. 44. His avocation as a crockman.

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1869.  Blackmore, Lorna D., xiv. (ed. 12), 84. Master Huckaback stood up, without much aid from the crock-saw.

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1879.  Shropshire Gloss., Crock-butter, butter salted and put down in a crock for winter use.

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