Forms: 4– croupe, 7– croup; also 5 crowpe, kroupe, crupe, 5–6 crope, 6 crowp, croope, 7 croop, crup. [a. F. croupe (in 11–12th c. crope, crupe), Pr. cropa; of Teutonic origin: cf. CROP sb.]
1. The rump or hind-quarters of a beast, esp. of a horse or other beast of burden.
c. 1300. K. Alis., 2447. Tyberye … hutte Salome with his spere, That of the sadel he gan him beore, Over the croupe to the grounde.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Friar’s T., 261. This carter thakketh his hors upon the croupe.
c. 1450. Merlin, 118. The kynge loth was so astonyed that he fley ouer his horse crowpe.
a. 1533. Ld. Berners, Huon, l. 169. Huon lept vp on his crope [ed. 1601 backe].
1577–87. Holinshed, Chron., III. 896/2. Certeine prelats, whom … they set vpon asses and leane mules, and with their faces reuersed to the crowp of the beasts.
1676. Lond. Gaz., No. 1090/4. A Red Roan Gelding … having a small black List over the Withers, and down the Crup.
1774. Goldsm., Nat. Hist. (1862), I. I. i. 250. The Spanish genette…. The croup round and large.
1808. Scott, Marm., V. xii. So light to the croupe the fair lady he swung.
1833. Regul. & Instr. Cavalry, I. 74. The crupper … should admit the breadth of the hand between it and the croup of the horse.
1872. Lever, Ld. Kilgobbin, xix. 56/2. A small bog-boy [was] mounted on the croup behind, to act as a groom.
† b. In croup [F. en croupe]: upon the croup (of a horse). Obs.
1580. Hollyband, Treas. Fr. Tong, Porter en crope, to haue one behynd him on horse-backe, to beare in croupe.
a. 1676. Sir E. Walker, Hist. Disc. (1705), 95. Our Horse taking up the Musquetiers in Croup.
[1820. Scott, Monast., xxix. Preparing to resume her seat en croupe.]
c. humorously. The rump, posteriors.
c. 1475[?]. Hunt. Hare, 208. Thus sone won hit hym [a man] on the crope.
1664. Cotton, Scarron. (1692), 37 (D.). Till I had almost gaul’d my crup.
1678. Butler, Hud., III. i. 90/1560.
| But found his Forlorn Hope, his Croop, | |
| Unserviceable with Kicks and Blows, | |
| Receiv’d from hardned hearted Foes. |
2. (crup). The hinder end of a saddle. rare.
1869. G. F. Berkeley, Tales Life & Death, II. 244. The hare, which he tied in a little leather sort of valise, made for the purpose, at the crup of his saddle.
3. attrib.
1686. Lond. Gaz., No. 2155/4. A croop Saddle and Bridle.
