a large, tall machine used for moving heavy objects by suspending them from a projecting arm or beam:a dockside crane [as modifier]:a crane driver
a moving platform supporting a television or film camera:a very long tracking shot done with dolly and crane [as modifier]:the opening crane shot
verb
1 [no object, with adverbial of direction] stretch out one’s body or neck in order to see something:she craned forward to look more clearly
[with object] stretch out (one’s neck) so as to see something:she craned her neck to see past me
2 [with object and adverbial] move (a heavy object) with a crane:the wheelhouse module is craned into position on the hull
Origin:
Middle English: figuratively from crane2 (the same sense development occurred in the related German Kran and Dutch kraan(see crane2), and in French grue). The verb dates from the late 16th century
