Forms: 3–6 croke, 4– crook(e, (6 croock). [f. CROOK sb.]
1. trans. To bend into an angular or curved form; to distort from a straight line; to curve.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 61. Gif he binimeð us ure sihte … oðer us crokeð on fote oðer on honde.
1382. Wyclif, Ps. lxviii. 24. The rig of hem euermor crooke thou in.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XVIII. xix. (1495), 778. Whan camelles take charge vpon them thenne they bende and croke the knees.
1602. Shaks., Ham., III. ii. 66. And crooke the pregnant hindges of the knee.
1651. Raleigh’s Ghost, 21. The star of Venus … crooking it self into hornes, as the moon doth.
1862. M. T. Morrall, Needle Making, 23. Hardening needles in oil instead of water, as the oil did not crook them so much.
1875. Blackmore, A. Lorraine, III. v. 69. The air was so full of rheumatism that no man could crook his arm to write a sermon.
† b. To curl (hair). Obs. rare.
1340. Ayenb., 177. Þe men þet doþ zuo grat payne ham to kembe … and ine hare here wel to croki.
c. To crook one’s mou’ (Sc.): to distort the mouth in expression of displeasure or ill temper.
1724. Ramsay, Tea-t. Misc. (1733), I. 86. O kend my minny I were wi’ you Illfardly wad she crook her mou.
1803. Mayne, Glasgow, 31 (Jam.). They, scornfu’, toss their head ajee, And crook their mou’?
† 2. fig. To bend or turn out of the straight course, or from the direct meaning or intention; to pervert, ‘twist.’ Obs.
a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter lvi. 8. Þai crokid my saule: that is, thai thoght to draghe it fra the luf of god in til the erth.
1382. Wyclif, Ps. lvi. 7. Thei myche crookeden [incurvaverunt] my soule.
1393. Gower, Conf., II. 144. That she may … Ne speke o word, ne ones loke, But he ne wil it wende and croke, And torne after his own entent.
1545. Ascham, Toxoph., I. (Arb.), 58. There is no one thinge yat crokes youth more than suche unlefull games.
1607–12. Bacon, Ess., Wisdom (Arb.), 184. Hee crooketh them to his owne endes.
1646. J. Gregory, Notes & Observ. (1650), 83. The more part I know, crooke the Prophesie to the Patriarch Abraham.
3. intr. To have or take a crooked form or direction; to be or become crooked; to bend, curve.
a. 1300. Song of Yesterday, 98, in E. E. P. (1862), 135. Me meruayles … Þat god let mony mon croke and elde.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., VI. i. (1495), 187. In olde aege the body bendyth and crokyth.
c. 1510. Barclay, Mirr. Gd. Manners (1570), B vj. Soone crooketh the same tree that good camoke wilbe.
1579. Fenton, Guicciard., VIII. (1599), 350. A riuer both large and deepe … goeth crooking on the left hand.
1661. Lovell, Hist. Anim. & Min., 106. Their hornes crook backwards to their shoulders.
1876. C. D. Warner, Wint. Nile, 240. Fingers that crook easily.
† 4. intr. To bend the body in sign of reverence or humility; to bow. Obs. or arch.
c. 1320. R. Brunne, Medit., 149. He stode krokyng [v.r. croked] on knees knelyng Afore hys cretures fete syttyng.
1645. Rutherford, Tryal & Tri. Faith (1845), 312. That the sinner may halt and crook.
1841–4. Emerson, Ess., Prudence, Wks. (Bohn), I. 100. They will shuffle and crow, crook and hide.
† 5. intr. To turn or bend aside out of the straight course (lit. and fig.). Obs.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 230. He schal not croke in-to þe riȝtte side ne in-to þe left side.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 87/4. Goyng right without crokyng.
1545. Ascham, Toxoph., II. (Arb.), 157. It [the snow] flewe not streight, but sometyme it crooked thys waye sometyme that waye.
1607. Topsell, Serpents (1653), 743. He must not run directly forward, but winde to and fro, crooking like an Indenture.
