CRAWFISH • FREE TRANSLATOR.ORG • Definition of Crawfish

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/krˈɔfˌɪʃ/ Listen

noun

Crayfish, Crawfish n. (pl. crayfishes or crayfish) (Zool.)

Any decapod crustacean of the family Astacidae (genera Cambarus and Cambarus), resembling the lobster, but smaller, and found in fresh waters. Crawfishes are esteemed very delicate food both in Europe and America. The North American species are numerous and mostly belong to the genus Cambarus. The blind crawfish of the Mammoth Cave is Cambarus pellucidus. The common European species is Astacus fluviatilis.

Synonyms: crawdad, crawdaddy.

Tiny lobsterlike crustaceans usually boiled briefly.

Synonyms: crawdad, ecrevisse.

A large edible marine crustacean having a spiny carapace but lacking the large pincers of true lobsters.

Synonyms: spiny lobster, langouste, rock lobster, crayfish, sea crawfish.

verb

crawfish v. i. To back out in a humilating manner; as, We'll have to crawfish out from meeting with him.

Synonyms: retreat, back out, back away, crawfish out, withdraw.

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Etymology of 'Crawfish'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Crawfish" Quotes from Famous Books

... Bud said, coming up from behind with a bottle of liniment, and with Pop at his heels. "But I'll run him just the same. Smoky has favored this foot before, and it never seemed to hurt him any. You needn't think I'm going to crawfish. You must think I'm a whining cuss—say! I'll bet another ten dollars that I don't come in more than a neck behind, lame horse ...

— Cow-Country • B. M. Bower

... no such song! Thou shalt make me a song of the deer-liver that thou hast eaten! Did I not give to thee of the liver of the she-deer, because thou didst bring me crawfish? ...

— The Turtles of Tasman • Jack London

... although, on account of the progress that has been made in methods of treating the eye, they are not as much in use as formerly. Most eyestones are a calcareous deposit, found in the shell of the common European crawfish. They are frequently pale yellow or light ...

— A Busy Year at the Old Squire's • Charles Asbury Stephens

... tell you all about it! But I'll have to deviate A little in beginnin', so's to set the matter straight As to how it comes to happen that I never took a wife— Kind o' "crawfish" from the Present to ...

— Riley Love-Lyrics • James Whitcomb Riley

... evidence that the muskrat has had a feast. There is a huge clam, partly opened, at arm's length from the shore. We fish it out and pry it open farther; out comes the remains of the esculent clam, and we almost jump when it is followed by a live and healthy crawfish. ...

— Some Winter Days in Iowa • Frederick John Lazell

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