Obs. Also 6 croken. [A secondary form of CROOK v.: cf. straighten.]
1. trans. To make crooked; fig. to pervert.
1552. Huloet, Croken, or make croked.
1563. Homilies, II. Idolatry, II. Saint Augustine … sayth … images be of more force to croken an unhappye soule then to teache and instruct it.
1621. Sanderson, Serm. (1681), 25. [They] rather choose to crooken the Rule to their own bent.
1680. Baxter, Cath. Commun. (1684), 9. By crookening it to any carnal interest.
1825. T. C. Croker, Fairy Leg. S. Irel., 303. When I got up, my back was crookened.
1828. in Craven Gloss.
2. intr. To be or become crooked; to bend.
1603. Holland, Plutarch’s Mor., 1201. It bendeth not, it crookeneth not.
1681. Chetham, Angler’s Vade-m., i. § 1 (1689). To keep them from warping or crookning.
