crane

The definition of a crane is a bird with long legs, a long neck and a long bill.

(noun)

An example of a crane is the Blue Crane of South Africa.

Crane is defined as a large machine used to lift and move very heavy things.

(noun)

An example of a crane is the big metal machine used to lift shipping containers off of a cargo ship.

See crane in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

pl. cranes or crane
1. any of a family (Gruidae) of usually large gruiform wading birds with very long legs and neck, and a long, straight bill
2. popularly any of various unrelated birds, as herons and storks
any of various machines for lifting or moving heavy weights by means of a movable projecting arm or a horizontal beam traveling on an overhead support
any device with a swinging arm fixed on a vertical axis: a fireplace crane is used for holding a kettle

Origin: ME < OE cran: akin to Du kraan, Ger kranich < IE *gr-on < base *ger-: see crow

transitive verb, intransitive verb craned, craning

See crane in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

a. Any of various large wading birds of the family Gruidae, having a long neck, long legs, and a long bill.
b. A similar bird, such as a heron.
A machine for hoisting and moving heavy objects by means of cables attached to a movable boom.
Any of various devices with a swinging arm, as in a fireplace for suspending a pot.

verb craned craned, cran·ing, cranes cranes

verb, transitive