crocodile Hear it!

crocodile Definition

croco·dile (kräkə dīl′)

noun

  1. any of a subfamily (Crocodylinae) of large, flesh-eating, lizardlike crocodilian reptiles living in or around tropical streams and having thick, horny skin composed of scales and plates, a long tail, and a long, narrow, triangular head with massive jaws: it has on each side of the lower jaw a large tooth that protrudes upward from its closed mouth
  2. leather made from a crocodile's hide
  3. Brit. a long line of persons, esp. school children, moving in file, as when out for a walk

Etymology: ME cocodril < OFr cocodrille < ML cocodrillus, altered < L crocodilus < Gr krokodilos, lizard (hence, “lizard of the Nile,” crocodile) < *krokodrilos < krokē, pebble, gravel (? akin to Sans srkarā, sugar) + drilos, worm

Crocodile Definition

Crocodile

Limpopo

crocodile Usage Examples

Converse of subject

  • eat: The young girl usually drowned or was eaten by crocodiles.

Converse of object

  • subtitle: Subtitled baby crocodiles, computers and the human personality.
  • eat: There are many other animals as well: the fish eating gharial crocodiles, buffaloes, sloth bear, hog deer and wild peacocks.
  • stuff: That evening, a stuffed crocodile is pointed out to me in the dining hall of our lodge.

Adjective modifier

  • saltwater: A group of German tourists swimming in the Australian outback was attacked by a giant saltwater crocodile, killing one.
  • estuarine: Don't be surprised if you see the famous estuarine crocodiles basking on the banks of the Daintree River!
  • hungry: True to form James Bond also escapes by running across the heads of the very hungry crocodiles.
  • giant: Face facts, around 40 % of all movies would be improved by the inclusion of a giant crocodile.
  • huge: At one point we came across a huge American Crocodile surrounded by Black Vultures.
  • American: At one point we came across a huge American Crocodile surrounded by Black Vultures.

Modifies a noun

  • tear: Your fears would continue to be mocked with crocodile tears by a party which never puts the victim first.
  • handbag: With more snap than a crocodile handbag & more bounce than Fanny's cleavage.
  • clip: The job can be simply done using a crocodile clip.
  • hunter: Then there's Steve Irwin, the well-known crazy crocodile hunter from down under.
  • skin: A crocodile skin hangs on the wall to symbolize the death of a Dragon.
  • leather: Comes on original Louisiana crocodile leather strap with signed buckle.

Noun used with modifier

  • mugger: Mugger Crocodiles are often found on the unspoiled river.
  • dwarf: The Reptile House has African dwarf crocodiles with their babies.
  • marsh: A large number of marsh crocodiles used to be found in lakes, marshes and rivers in Bangladesh.
  • baby: The swamp at the back of the temple seems to have some roughly made pens in the water in which there are baby crocodiles.
crocodile Quotes

   An appeaser is someone who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last.

—Churchill, Lord Randolph Henry Spencer

To sit back hoping that some day, some way, someone will make things right is to go on feeding the crocodile, hoping that he will eat you lastöbut eat you he will.

—Reagan, Ronald Wilson

SoTomwent homewith Ellie†and heisnowa great man of science†and knows everything about everything, except whya hen's egg don't turn into a crocodile, and two or three other little things which no one will know till the coming of the Cocqcigrues. And all this fromwhat helearnt whenhewas awater-baby, underneaththesea. 'And of course,Tom married Ellie?'My dear child, what a silly notion! Don't you know that no one ever marries in a fairy tale, under the rank of a prince or a princess?

—Kingsley, Charles

How doth the little crocodile Improve his shining tail, And pour the waters of the Nile On every golden scale! How cheerfully he seems to grin, How neatly spreads his claws, And welcomes little fishes in, With gently smiling jaws!

—Dodgson

One day he missed his loving bride. She had, the guide informed him later, Been eaten byan alligator. ProfessorTwist could not but smile. 'You mean,' he said,'a crocodile.'

—Nash, (Frederic) Ogden