crook

crook — noun

1. someone who lies, steals, or breaks the law in order to gain money or advantages

1.nounB1
Definition

someone who lies, steals, or breaks the law in order to gain money or advantages for themselves.

Example

The local newspaper exposed the politician as a crook who had taken money from builders.

crook + who-clause to define someone's character

Jude warned his grandmother that the man who fixed her roof was a crook.

Common collocations
  • call someone a crook
  • a lying crook
  • a common crook
  • a scheming crook
Synonyms
  • criminal

    broader term for anyone who commits a crime, regardless of how

  • fraudster

    more formal; specifically someone who tricks people out of money

  • swindler

    focuses on cheating people in financial deals, often over time

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

a crook

call someone a crook

Common Mistakes

That salesman is a crooked' (using adjective form as noun).
That salesman is a crook.
'crooked' is an adjective; 'crook' is the noun meaning a dishonest person.

2. the curved space on the inner side of a bent elbow, typically where a baby can b

2.nounB1
Definition

the curved space on the inner side of a bent elbow, typically where a baby can be held or a bag carried close to the body.

Example

The baby lay quietly in the crook of her mother's arm.

the crook of [possessive] arm

Piotr carried the kitten in the crook of his elbow while he unlocked the door.

Common collocations
  • the crook of your arm
  • the crook of your elbow
  • in the crook of
Synonyms
  • bend of the arm

    less common; describes the same location without the set-phrase feel

Grammar Patterns

the crook of [possessive] arm/elbow

Usage Note

Almost always appears in the possessive phrase 'the crook of one's arm/elbow.' It is not used alone (you cannot say 'My crook hurts' to mean your elbow area).

3. a long rod with a hook-shaped top, traditionally used by shepherds to manage she

3.nounB2
Definition

a long rod with a hook-shaped top, traditionally used by shepherds to manage sheep and by bishops as a ceremonial object.

Example

The old shepherd leaned on his crook while watching the sheep graze on the hillside.

shepherd's crook

In the painting, the bishop holds a golden crook as a religious symbol.

Common collocations
  • shepherd's crook
  • a wooden crook
  • carry a crook
  • lean on a crook
Synonyms
  • staff

    broader; any long stick used for walking or support

  • shepherd's staff

    specifies the same object, more transparent in meaning

  • crosier

    formal term for the crook carried by a bishop

Grammar Patterns

a crook

carry a crook

Usage Note

Now most commonly encountered in historical, religious, or traditional contexts. Modern shepherds rarely use a traditional crook, but the word survives in ceremonial use and folklore.

4. a place where something bends or curves into a hook-like shape, such as a river,

4.nounB2
Definition

a place where something bends or curves into a hook-like shape, such as a river, a piece of metal, or a tree branch.

Example

The metal pipe had a crook near the end where it joined the water tank.

a crook in [object]

There was a sharp crook in the tree branch where the wind had twisted it.

Common collocations
  • a crook in
  • a sharp crook
  • form a crook
  • the crook of
Synonyms
  • bend

    more common and general; a curve in a road, river, or object

  • curve

    smoother than a crook; implies a rounded arc rather than a sharp angle

  • hook

    specifically a curved piece used to catch or hold things

Grammar Patterns

a crook in [something]

the crook of [something]

Usage Note

Less common than bend or curve. Most frequently used in the phrase 'a crook in [something]' or 'the crook of [something].'

Idioms

by hook or by crook

idiom

Using any possible method, even if it is not honest.

Maya was determined to finish the race by hook or by crook.

Will Diego get that job by hook or by crook?

crook — adjective

crook — verb

Word family

  • crooked
    adjectiveB2
  • crookedly
    adverbC1
  • crookedness
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Crook is an informal word for someone who is dishonest, especially in a clever or underhanded way — it is broader than thief or cheat. A criminal is anyone who commits a crime, from shoplifting to murder; crook usually implies financial or trust-based dishonesty. A thief specifically takes physical property without permission. A cheat gets ahead through deception in games, exams, or business. A fraudster is more formal and uses lies — often in writing — to trick people out of money. For example, you might call a politician who accepts bribes a crook; you would call someone who steals a wallet a thief; and you would call the person who runs a fake investment scheme a fraudster.

criminal ↗thief ↗cheat ↗fraudster

Common collocations

Phrases

Prepositions

  • crook of
  • in the crook of
  • a crook in

Etymology

Proto-GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

Crook comes from Old English crōc, meaning 'hook' or 'bend.' The word can be traced back through Proto-Germanic to an ancient root meaning 'to turn, bend.' The sense of 'a dishonest person' arose in the 1800s, based on the idea that someone who is 'crooked' in character is like something bent out of its proper straight shape.