The word "crook" has several meanings depending on the context:
- Most commonly, a crook is a dishonest person or a criminal, especially someone who cheats, swindles, or steals. It is an informal term often used to describe petty criminals or con artists
- In anatomy, the crook refers to the bend or soft inside part of a limb, such as the crook of the arm (the inside bend of the elbow) or the crook of the leg (the inside bend of the knee)
- A crook is also a long staff with a curved or hooked end, traditionally carried by shepherds or bishops (the bishop's staff is also called a crosier)
- As a verb, to crook means to bend or curve something
- In Australian and New Zealand slang, crook can mean sick or unwell, or describe something of poor quality
Etymologically, the word comes from Middle English and Old Norse origins meaning "hook" or "bend," which relates to both the physical shape and the figurative sense of being "crooked" or dishonest
. In summary, "crook" primarily means a criminal or dishonest person but can also refer to a bent shape or a hooked staff depending on usage.
