crib

crib — noun

1. a piece of furniture where a baby sleeps, with tall walls made of vertical bars

1.nounB1
Definition

a piece of furniture where a baby sleeps, with tall walls made of vertical bars that stop the child from climbing or rolling out

Example

The baby slept peacefully in her new crib while Sari watched from the doorway.

sleep in a crib

Jiwoo lowered the side rail of the crib to pick up the crying infant.

side rail of the crib

Common collocations
  • crib mattress
  • crib sheet
  • crib bumper
  • crib rail
  • convertible crib
  • wooden crib
  • baby crib
Synonyms
  • cot

    British English term for the same kind of baby bed

  • bassinet

    a smaller, basket-like bed for a newborn baby, usually without tall sides

  • cradle

    a baby bed that rocks or swings, often on curved supports

Usage Note

In British English, the same piece of furniture is more commonly called a cot. In American English, crib is the standard term.

2. a decorative model used at Christmas that shows the newborn Jesus with Mary, Jos

2.nounB1
Definition

a decorative model used at Christmas that shows the newborn Jesus with Mary, Joseph, farm animals, and sometimes the three wise men, placed in homes and churches as part of the holiday tradition

Example

Every Christmas, the Chen family sets up a wooden crib in their living room.

set up a crib

The church displayed a crib with carved figures of Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus.

Common collocations
  • Christmas crib
  • church crib
  • set up a crib
  • crib figures
  • wooden crib
Synonyms
  • nativity scene

    the more general English term; less specific to the model itself

  • crèche

    borrowed from French; sometimes used in more formal or religious contexts

  • manger scene

    focuses on the manger (feeding trough) as the centrepiece

Usage Note

Also called a nativity scene or crèche. This sense is most common in Christian communities and is typically only used during the Christmas season.

3. somewhere that a person lives, such as their house or apartment — used informall

3.nounB1
Definition

somewhere that a person lives, such as their house or apartment — used informally in casual conversation among friends

Example

After the concert, Mark invited everyone back to his crib for a late-night snack.

invite someone to one's crib

Emre's new crib has a rooftop terrace with a great view of the city skyline.

Common collocations
  • my crib
  • your crib
  • someone's crib
  • at the crib
  • back to the crib
Synonyms
  • pad

    equally informal slang for one's home; slightly older usage

  • digs

    informal British slang for a place to live, especially rented accommodation

  • place

    neutral and very common; less informal than 'crib'

Usage Note

Highly informal. Common in youth slang and hip-hop culture. Frequently appears in the possessive my crib or someone's crib. Avoid in formal writing or professional contexts.

Common Mistakes

I visited his crib for the meeting with the bank manager.' — 'crib' is too informal for a professional context.
I visited his apartment for the meeting with the bank manager.
use 'home', 'apartment', or 'place' in formal situations.

4. written material such as key facts or a translation that a student uses secretly

4.nounB2
Definition

written material such as key facts or a translation that a student uses secretly during an exam or to complete schoolwork without the teacher knowing

Example

The teacher caught Tunde with a crib hidden inside his pencil case during the exam.

hidden + during the exam

Padma wrote the key chemistry formulas on a tiny piece of paper as a crib.

Common collocations
  • exam crib
  • translation crib
  • use a crib
  • hide a crib
  • crib sheet
  • crib notes
Synonyms
  • cheat sheet

    more common in American English; broader meaning covering any unauthorized notes

  • pony

    British school slang for a literal translation used for cheating in language classes

  • notes

    neutral term; does not imply secret or unauthorized use

Usage Note

Also called a cheat sheet in American English. In British school contexts, a crib often refers specifically to a translation used for language assignments. The word can also refer to a published guide that summarises a subject for study purposes, used without the intention to cheat.

crib — verb

Word family

  • cribber
    nounC1
  • cribbing
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Crib, cot, bassinet, and cradle all describe beds for babies, but they differ in design and regional usage. Crib (American English) and cot (British English) refer to the same piece of furniture: a small bed with high barred sides that keeps a toddler safe. The main difference is purely regional — an American visitor would call it a crib, while a British family would call it a cot. A bassinet is a smaller, lighter bed for a newborn that sits on a stand, often made of fabric or wicker with low sides, and is not used once the baby can sit up. A cradle is a bed that rocks or swings on curved supports and is also typically for infants only. Practically speaking, a parent might buy a bassinet or cradle for the first few months and then switch to a crib or cot for the toddler stage.

cot ↗bassinetcradle ↗

Common collocations

Prepositions

  • in a crib
  • from a crib

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word crib comes from Old English cribb, meaning 'a manger or feeding trough for cattle'. This sense survives in the Christmas nativity scene, where baby Jesus is placed in a manger. By the 1600s, the word was used for a baby bed, because the earliest baby beds looked like small troughs. The meaning 'a small house or living space' appeared in the 1800s as student slang. The 'cheating notes' sense developed in 19th-century British schools, originally referring to a literal translation used secretly in language exams. The verb sense 'to plagiarize' grew naturally from the noun meaning 'unauthorized study aid'.