(Pronounced Crick.) A small river. The word occurs in the Pennsylvania Archives, 1674. (N.E.D.)
1737. Savannah stands on a flat bluff, (so they term any high-land hanging over a creek or river,) which rises forty-five feet perpendicular from the river, and commands it several miles both upward and downward.—John Wesley, Journal (Dec.). (N.E.D.)
1753. We had a tedious and very fatiguing passage down the creek.… The creek is extremely crooked.—George Washington’s Journal: Mass. Spy, Oct. 24, 1793.
1775. Further south is the mouth of another river called spruce creek.—B. Romans, ‘Florida,’ p. 267.
1784. The Elkhorn lands are much esteemed, being situated in a bend of Kentucky River, of great extent, in which this little river, or rather large creek, rises.—John Filson, ‘Kentucke,’ p. 18.
1788. In this distance fall into the Ohio two very considerable creeks, called Little Muskingum and Duck Creek; in the spring season they are navigable for boats more than twenty miles.—News from the Ohio, Mass. Spy, June 19.
1789. The first bottom[s] or interval[s], upon the creeks, are not equal to those upon the larger rivers.—Id., June 11.
1796. It is a creek, and has a smart current, and is a most noble mill stream.—Gazette of the U.S., Phila., Aug. 23.
1802. What contributes much to the beauty of Kinderhook is the creek, which runs along the east side of the town. It is esteemed the finest in the state; and, perhaps, it is not exceeded in beauty by any creek in America.—The Balance, Hudson, N.Y., Jan. 19, p. 17/3.
1817. Even the smaller branches were swollen into large creeks.—Boston Weekly Messenger, Aug. 21.
1820. Ravines, at the bottom of which flow small streams or brooks, here called creeks, forming a few mill-seats.—Zerah Hawley, ‘Tour’ [of Ohio, &c.], Oct. 20. (New Haven, 1822, p. 32.)
1830. Two creeks or little rivers in Cattaraugus County cross each other at right angles.—Mass. Spy, Feb. 3.
1838. The harbour of Buffalo is formed of one of those creeks. Go there, and you will find this creek for nearly a mile covered with steamers, ships, &c.—Speech of Mr. Marvin in Congress: The Jeffersonian (Albany), Sept. 15, p. 246.
1869. The “rivers” of Pharpar and Abana of Scripture (mere creeks,) run through Damascus, and so every house and every garden have their sparkling fountains and rivulets of water.—Mark Twain, ‘The Innocents Abroad,’ chap. xliv.
