CRANE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does Crane mean? 

• CRANE (noun)
  The noun CRANE has 5 senses:

1. United States writer (1871-1900)

2. United States poet (1899-1932)

3. a small constellation in the southern hemisphere near Phoenix

4. lifts and moves heavy objects; lifting tackle is suspended from a pivoted boom that rotates around a vertical axis

5. large long-necked wading bird of marshes and plains in many parts of the world

  Familiarity information: CRANE used as a noun is common.

• CRANE (verb)
  The verb CRANE has 1 sense:

1. stretch (the neck) so as to see better

  Familiarity information: CRANE used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CRANE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

United States writer (1871-1900)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

Crane; Stephen Crane

Instance hypernyms:

author; writer (writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay))

Sense 2

Meaning:

United States poet (1899-1932)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

Crane; Harold Hart Crane; Hart Crane

Instance hypernyms:

poet (a writer of poems (the term is usually reserved for writers of good poetry))

Sense 3

Meaning:

A small constellation in the southern hemisphere near Phoenix

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural objects (not man-made)

Synonyms:

Crane; Grus

Instance hypernyms:

constellation (a configuration of stars as seen from the earth)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Lifts and moves heavy objects; lifting tackle is suspended from a pivoted boom that rotates around a vertical axis

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("crane" is a kind of...):

lifting device (a device for lifting heavy loads)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "crane"):

davit (a crane-like device (usually one of a pair) for suspending or lowering equipment (as a lifeboat))

derrick (a simple crane having lifting tackle slung from a boom)

transporter (a crane for moving material with dispatch as in loading and unloading ships)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Large long-necked wading bird of marshes and plains in many parts of the world

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Hypernyms ("crane" is a kind of...):

wader; wading bird (any of many long-legged birds that wade in water in search of food)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "crane"):

Grus americana; whooper; whooping crane (rare North American crane having black-and-white plumage and a trumpeting call)

Holonyms ("crane" is a member of...):

family Gruidae; Gruidae (cranes)

Derivation:

crane (stretch (the neck) so as to see better)

• CRANE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they crane    ... he / she / it cranes   
Past simple: craned   
Past participle: craned   
-ing form: craning   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Stretch (the neck) so as to see better

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

crane; stretch out

Context example:

The women craned their necks to see the President drive by

Hypernyms (to "crane" is one way to...):

extend; stretch (extend one's limbs or muscles, or the entire body)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

crane (large long-necked wading bird of marshes and plains in many parts of the world)

 Context examples 

“Do you mind doubling our bet?” said Berkeley Craven, who was craning his neck to get a glimpse of Jim.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

At this window he marked, as he rode up, that a man was seated who appeared to be craning his neck in his direction.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

"Looks like a guinea puzzle competition," remarked Lord John, craning his neck to have a look at it.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

In an instant Holmes had raced up on to the ridge, and, standing upon a lofty pinnacle, craned his neck in every direction.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Located 530 light-years from Earth in the constellation of Grus (The Crane), π1 Gruis is a cool red giant.

(Giant Bubbles on Red Giant Star’s Surface, ESO)

Then he approached it, and, standing on tiptoe with his neck craned, he looked into the room.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

His name is Armitage—Percy Armitage—the second son of Mr. Armitage, of Crane Water, near Reading.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Then, as we flew along, the driver leaned forward, and on each side the passengers, craning over the edge of the coach, peered eagerly into the darkness.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

As we drifted closer the boat would rise on a wave while we sank in the trough, till almost straight above me I could see the heads of the three men craned overside and looking down.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

Even then I was still so much interested, waiting for the ship to touch, that I had quite forgot the peril that hung over my head and stood craning over the starboard bulwarks and watching the ripples spreading wide before the bows.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)