plover \plov"er\, n. of. plovier, f. pluvier, prop., the rain
   bird, fr. ll. assumed pluviarius, fr. l. pluvia rain, from
   pluere to rain; akin to e. float, g. fliessen to flow. see
   float.
   1. zool. any one of numerous species of limicoline birds
      belonging to the family charadridae, and especially
      those belonging to the subfamily charadrinsae. they
      are prized as game birds.
      1913 webster

   2. zool. any grallatorial bird allied to, or resembling,
      the true plovers, as the crab plover dromas ardeola;
      the american upland, plover bartramia longicauda; and
      other species of sandpipers.
      1913 webster

   note: among the more important species are the blackbellied
         plover or blackbreasted plover charadrius
         squatarola of america and europe; -- called also
         gray plover, bull-head plover, swiss plover, sea
         plover, and oxeye; the golden plover see under
         golden; the ring plover or ringed plover
         aegialitis hiaticula. see ringneck. the piping
         plover aegialitis meloda; wilson's plover
         aegialitis wilsonia; the mountain plover
         aegialitis montana; and the semipalmated plover
         aegialitis semipalmata, are all small american
         species.
         1913 webster

   bastard plover zool., the lapwing.

   long-legged plover, or yellow-legged plover. see
      tattler.

   plover's page, the dunlin. prov. eng.

   rock plover, or stone plover, the black-bellied plover.
      prov. eng.

   whistling plover.
      a the golden plover.
      b the black-bellied plover.
          1913 webster plow
see also:
float charadridae charadrinsae dromas ardeola bartramia longicauda blackbellied plover 
blackbreasted plover charadrius squatarola gray plover bull-head plover swiss plover 
sea plover oxeye golden plover golden ring plover 
ringed plover aegialitis hiaticula ringneck piping plover aegialitis meloda 
wilson's plover aegialitis wilsonia mountain plover aegialitis montana semipalmated plover 
aegialitis semipalmata bastard plover long-legged plover yellow-legged plover tattler 
plover's page rock plover stone plover whistling plover 

crab \crab\ kra^b, n. as. crabba; akin to d. krab, g.
   krabbe, krebs, icel. krabbi, sw. krabba, dan. krabbe, and
   perh. to e. cramp. cf. crawfish.
   1. zool. one of the brachyuran crustacea. they are mostly
      marine, and usually have a broad, short body, covered with
      a strong shell or carapace. the abdomen is small and
      curled up beneath the body.
      1913 webster

   note: the name is applied to all the brachyura, and to
         certain anomura, as the hermit crabs. formerly, it was
         sometimes applied to crustacea in general. many species
         are edible, the blue crab of the atlantic coast being
         one of the most esteemed. the large european edible
         crab is cancer padurus. soft-shelled crabs are blue
         crabs that have recently cast their shells. see
         cancer; also, box crab, fiddler crab, hermit
         crab, spider crab, etc., under box, fiddler.
         etc.
         1913 webster

   2. the zodiacal constellation cancer.
      1913 webster

   3. see crab, a. bot. a crab apple; -- so named from its
      harsh taste.
      1913 webster

            when roasted crabs hiss in the bowl,
            then nightly sings the staring owl.   --shak.
      1913 webster

   4. a cudgel made of the wood of the crab tree; a crabstick.
      obs. --garrick.
      1913 webster

   5. mech.
      a a movable winch or windlass with powerful gearing,
          used with derricks, etc.
      b a form of windlass, or geared capstan, for hauling
          ships into dock, etc.
      c a machine used in ropewalks to stretch the yarn.
      d a claw for anchoring a portable machine.
          1913 webster

   calling crab. zool. see fiddler., n., 2.

   crab apple, a small, sour apple, of several kinds; also,
      the tree which bears it; as, the european crab apple
      pyrus malus var. sylvestris; the siberian crab apple
      pyrus baccata; and the american pyrus coronaria.
      

   crab grass. bot.
      a a grass digitaria sanguinalis syn. panicum
          sanguinalis; -- called also finger grass.
      b a grass of the genus eleusine eleusine indica;
          -- called also dog's-tail grass, wire grass, etc.
          

   crab louse zool., a species of louse phthirius pubis,
      sometimes infesting the human body.

   crab plover zool., an asiatic plover dromas ardeola.
      

   crab's eyes, or crab's stones, masses of calcareous
      matter found, at certain seasons of the year, on either
      side of the stomach of the european crawfishes, and
      formerly used in medicine for absorbent and antacid
      purposes; the gastroliths.

   crab spider zool., one of a group of spiders
      laterigradae; -- called because they can run
      backwards or sideways like a crab.

   crab tree, the tree that bears crab applies.

   crab wood, a light cabinet wood obtained in guiana, which
      takes a high polish. --mcelrath.

   to catch a crab naut., a phrase used of a rower:
      a when he fails to raise his oar clear of the water;
      b when he misses the water altogether in making a
          stroke.
          1913 webster
see also:
crawfish cancer padurus soft-shelled crabs cancer box crab fiddler crab 
hermit crab spider crab box fiddler crab 
calling crab crab apple pyrus malus pyrus baccata pyrus coronaria 
crab grass digitaria sanguinalis panicum sanguinalis finger grass eleusine 
eleusine indica dog's-tail grass wire grass crab louse phthirius pubis 
crab plover dromas ardeola crab's eyes crab's stones crab spider 
laterigradae crab tree crab wood to catch a crab 

drome \drome\ dr=om, n. f., fr. gr. droma`s running. see
   dromedary. zool.
   the crab plover dromas ardeola, a peculiar north african
   bird, allied to the oyster catcher.
   1913 webster
see also:
dromedary dromas ardeola