crab¹ ◙ noun 1. a crustacean with a broad carapace, stalked eyes, and five pairs of legs, the first pair of which are modified as pincers. Crabs are abundant on many shores, especially in the tropics where some have become adapted to life on land • 蟹；螃蟹 2. Many families in the order Decapoda, class Malacostraca • 十足目，软甲亚纲许多科 [mass noun] the flesh of a crab as food • 蟹肉 (the Crab)the zodiacal sign or constellation Cancer • 巨蟹星座 3. (也作 crab louse)a louse that infests human body hair, especially in the genital region, causing extreme irritation • 阴虱 4. Phthirus pubis, family Pediculidae, order Anoplura • 拉丁名 Phthirus pubis，虱目，虱科 (crabs)[informal] an infestation of crab lice • [非正式] 阴虱（寄生）病 5. a machine for picking up and lifting heavy weights • 起重机；吊车 ◙ verb 1. [no obj., with adverbial of direction] move sideways or obliquely • 横行；斜行 »he began crabbing sideways across the roof. 他开始斜行，横着走过屋顶。 [with obj.] steer (an aircraft or ship) slightly sideways to compensate for a crosswind or current • （遇到侧风或水流、气流时）使（飞机或船）作偏流修正 2. [no obj.] fish for crabs • 捕蟹；捉蟹
【IDIOMS】
◘ catch a crab 1. [Rowing] effect a faulty stroke in which the oar is jammed under water or misses the water altogether • [赛艇] 失一桨（指划得过浅或过深）
【派生】
♦ crabber noun ◘ crablike adjective & adverb
【语源】
1. Old English crabba, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch krabbe, and more distantly to Dutch kreeft and German Krebs; also crabcrab² ◙ noun 1. short forcrab apple • crab apple的简称crab³ ◙ (crabbed, crabbing), [informal] [非正式] 1. [no obj.] grumble, typically about something petty • （多指为小事）抱怨；找岔子 »on picnics, I would crab about sand in my food. 野餐时，我会为食物中有沙子而抱怨。 2. [with obj.] act so as to spoil • 破坏；干扰；扰乱 »you’re trying to crab my act. 你在试图破坏我的事。
【语源】
1. late 16th cent. (referring to hawks, meaning 'claw or fight each other'): from Low German krabben; related to crab