crab1

noun

• 1a crustacean, found chiefly on seashores, with a broad carapace, stalked eyes, and five pairs of legs, the first pair of which are modified as pincers.

  • Many families in the order Decapoda, class Malacostraca
• [mass noun] the flesh of a crab as food.
• (the Crab) the zodiacal sign or constellation Cancer.

• 2 (also crab louse) a louse that infests human body hair, especially in the genital region, causing extreme irritation.

  • Phthirus pubis, family Pediculidae, order Anoplura
• (crabs) informal an infestation of crab lice: the time his friend had crabs

• 3a machine with pincer-like arms for lifting heavy weights.

verb (crabs, crabbing, crabbed)

• 1 [no object, with adverbial of direction] move sideways or obliquely:he began crabbing sideways across the roof
• [with object] steer (an aircraft or ship) slightly sideways to compensate for a crosswind or current: George crabbed the plane into the wind

• 2 [no object] fish for crabs: watermen were crabbing on the bay