criss-cross

 
Pronunciation: /ˈkrɪskrɒs/

noun

  • a pattern of intersecting straight lines or paths: the blotting paper was marked with a criss-cross of different inks

adjective

  • containing a number of straight lines or paths which intersect each other: the streets ran in a regular criss-cross pattern [as adverb]: the swords were strung criss-cross on his back

verb

[with object]
  • form a pattern of intersecting lines or paths on (a place): the green hill was criss-crossed with a network of sheep tracks [no object]: the smaller streets criss-crossed in a grid pattern
  • move or travel around (a place) by going back and forth repeatedly: the President criss-crossed America

Origin:

early 17th century (denoting a figure of a cross preceding the alphabet in a hornbook): from Christ-cross (in the same sense in late Middle English), from Christ's cross. The form was later treated as a reduplication of cross