different between crotch vs crouch

English

Etymology

From Middle English crotche, croche (also in unassilibated form croke, "a shepherd's crook"), from Old French croche (“shepherd's crook”); merged with Middle English cruche, crucche (“a crutch”). More at crook, crutch.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /k??t?/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /k??t?/
• Rhymes: -?t?

Noun

crotch (plural crotches)

1. The area where something forks or branches, a ramification takes place.

2. The ventral area (very bottom) of the human body between where the legs fork from the torso, in the area of the genitals and anus.

3. (slang, euphemistic) Either the male or female genitalia.

4. (billiards) In the three-ball carom game, a small space at each corner of the table.
5. (typography) The open counter (negative space) formed by two downward strokes that meet at an internal acute angle, potentially above a vertex, as in the letters "V" and "Y".

Derived terms

• crotch area
• crotch seam
• split crotch
• finger crotch

Translations

Verb

crotch (third-person singular simple present crotches, present participle crotching, simple past and past participle crotched)

1. (transitive) To provide with a crotch; to give the form of a crotch to.

2. (transitive, logging, historical, Western US) To notch (a log) on opposite sides to provide a grip for the dogs that will haul it.

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /k?a?t??/
• Rhymes: -a?t?

Etymology 1

From Middle English crouchen, crucchen, crouken (“to bend, crouch”), variant of croken (“to bend, crook”), from crok (“crook, hook”), from Old Norse krókr (“hook”), from Proto-Germanic *kr?kaz (“hook”), from Proto-Indo-European *gerg- (“wicker, bend”), from Proto-Indo-European *ger- (“to turn, wind, weave”). Compare Middle Dutch kr?ken (“to crook, curl”). More at crook.

Verb

crouch (third-person singular simple present crouches, present participle crouching, simple past and past participle crouched)

1. (intransitive) To bend down; to stoop low; to stand close to the ground with legs bent, like an animal when waiting for prey, or someone in fear.

   We crouched behind the low wall until the squad of soldiers had passed by.
2. (intransitive) To bend servilely; to bow in reverence or humility.
   • 1816, William Wordsworth, Thanksgiving Ode

     a crouching purpose

Translations

Noun

crouch (plural crouches)

1. A bent or stooped position.

   The cat waited in a crouch, hidden behind the hedge.

Translations

Etymology 2

From Middle English crouche, cruche, from Old English cr?? (“cross”). Compare Old Saxon kr?ci (“cross”), Old High German kr?zi (“cross”). Doublet of cross and crux.

Noun

crouch (plural crouches)

1. (obsolete) A cross.

Derived terms

• Crouch End

Verb

crouch (third-person singular simple present crouches, present participle crouching, simple past and past participle crouched)

1. (obsolete) To sign with the cross; bless.

Translations

Anagrams

• Crochu