v. rare. [app. an onomatopœic formation, associated initially with the imitative group, croo, crood, croodle, crook, crookle, croak, and perhaps with croon, with echoic fashioning of the latter part.] intr. To make an inarticulate sound more liquid and prolonged than a croak.
1580. Baret, Alv., C 1672. To Croole, mutter, or speake softe to ones selfe: to rumble.
1617. Minsheu, Ductor, To Croole, mutter, or speake softly to himselfe.
1851. S. Judd, Margaret, xiv. (1871), 102. Frogs, from all the waters around, crooled, chubbed, and croaked.
1892. J. Reid Howatt, in Sunday Mag., June, 425/1. Baby is lying in mother’s lap, crooling and gurgling.
