cross
pronunciation
How to pronounce cross in British English:
UK [krɒs]
How to pronounce cross in American English:
US [krɔːs]
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- Noun:
- a wooden structure consisting of an upright post with a transverse piece
- marking consisting of crossing lines
- a cross as an emblem of Christianity; used in heraldry
- any affliction that causes great suffering
- an organism that is the offspring of genetically dissimilar parents or stock; especially offspring produced by breeding plants or animals of different varieties or breeds or species
- (genetics) the act of mixing different species or varieties of animals or plants and thus to produce hybrids
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- Verb:
- travel across or pass over
- meet at a point
- hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of
- fold so as to resemble a cross
- to cover or extend over an area or time period
- meet and pass
- trace a line through or across
- breed animals or plants using parents of different races and varieties
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- Adjective:
- extending or lying across; in a crosswise direction; at right angles to the long axis
- perversely irritable
Word Origin
- cross
- cross: [OE] When the Anglo-Saxons embraced Christianity they acquired cros, in the first instance from Old Irish cross. The word’s ultimate source was Latin crux, which may have been of Phoenician origin (although some have connected it with Latin curvus ‘bent’). (Crux itself was borrowed into English in the 18th century.) The cross’s shape formed the basis of the adjectival, adverbial, and verbal uses of the word, and also of across. (The notion of ‘crossing’ also lies behind cruise [17] a probable borrowing from the Dutch kruisen ‘cross’.) Derivatives of the Latin word include crucial [18], crucible [15], crucifix [13] (from late Latin crucifixus, literally ‘fixed to a cross’), crusade [16], and excruciate [16].=> crucial, crucible, crucifix, crusade, excruciate
- cross (n.)
- Old English cros "instrument of Christ's crucifixion; symbol of Christianity" (mid-10c.), from Old Irish cros, probably via Scandinavian, from Latin crux (accusative crucem, genitive crucis) "stake, cross" on which criminals were impaled or hanged (originally a tall, round pole); hence, figuratively, "torture, trouble, misery." The word is possibly of Phoenician origin. Replaced Old English rood. Also from Latin crux are Italian croce, French croix, Spanish and Portuguese cruz, Dutch kruis, German Kreuz. By c. 1200 as "ornamental likeness of the cross, something resembling or in the form of a cross; sign of the cross made with the right hand or with fingers." From mid-14c. as "small cross with a human figure attached; a crucifix;" late 14c. as "outdoor structure or monument in the form of a cross." Also late 14c. as "a cross formed by two lines drawn or cut on a surface; two lines intersecting at right angles; the shape of a cross without regard to religious signification." From late 12c. as a surname. From c. 1200 in the figurative sense "the burden of a Christian; suffering; a trial or affliction; penance in Christ's name," from Matt. x.38, xvi.24, etc. Theological sense "crucifixion and death of Christ as a necessary part of his mission" is from late 14c. As "a mixing of breeds in the production of animals" from 1760, hence broadly "a mixture of the characteristics of two different things." In pugilism, 1906, from the motion of the blow (1880s as a verb; cross-counter (n.) is from 1883).
- cross (adj.)
- developed in early Modern English from the adverb (see cross (adv.)). Earliest sense is "falling athwart, lying athwart the main direction" (1520s). Meaning "intersecting, lying athwart each other" is from c. 1600. Sense of "adverse, opposed, contrary, opposite" is from 1560s; of persons, "peevish, ill-tempered," from 1630s, probably from the earlier senses of "contrary, athwart," especially with reference to winds and sailing ships. A 19c. emphatic form was cross as two sticks (1807), punning on the verb. Cross-purposes "contradictory intentions" is from 1660s. Cross-legged is from 1520s; cross-grained is from 1670s of wood; as "opposed in nature or temper" from 1640s.
- cross (v.)
- c. 1200, "make the sign of a cross," from cross (n.) and in part from French croiser. Sense of "to go across, pass from side to side of, pass over" is from c. 1400; that of "to cancel by drawing crossed lines over" is from mid-15c. From late 14c. as "lie across; intersect;" also "place (two things) crosswise of each other; lay one thing across another." From early 15c. as "mark a cross on." Also in Middle English in now-archaic sense "crucify" (mid-14c.), hence, figuratively, crossed "carrying a cross of affliction or penance." Meaning "thwart, obstruct, hinder, oppose" is from 1550s; that of "cause to interbreed" is from 1754. In telegraphy, electricity, etc., in reference to accidental contact of two wires on different circuits or different parts of a circuit that allows part of the current to flow from one to the other, from 1884. Meaning "to cheat" is by 1823. Cross my heart as a vow is from 1898. To cross over as euphemistic for "to die" is from 1930. To cross (someone's) path is from 1818. Of ideas, etc., to cross (someone's) mind is from 1768; the notion is of something entering the mind as if passing athwart it. Related: Crossed; crossing.
- cross (adv.)
- c. 1400, "to the side," from on cros, variant of across.
Example
- 1. Jesus didn 't die on the cross .
- 2. People cross railway tracks in dharavi on feb. 2 .
- 3. It 's a hazed that the migrating herds must cross .
- 4. He was awarded a posthumous victoria cross .
- 5. Soon it will cross the channel to britain .