- Crown jewels
- Crown Crown (kroun), n. [OE. corone, coroun, crune, croun, OF.
corone, corune, F. couronne, fr. L. corona crown, wreath;
akin to Gr. korw`nh anything curved, crown; cf. also L.
curvus curved, E. curve, curb, Gael. cruinn round, W. crwn.
Cf. {Cornice}, {Corona}, {Coroner}, {Coronet}.]
1. A wreath or garland, or any ornamental fillet encircling
the head, especially as a reward of victory or mark of
honorable distinction; hence, anything given on account
of, or obtained by, faithful or successful effort; a
reward. ``An olive branch and laurel crown.'' --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
They do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. --1 Cor. ix. 25. [1913 Webster]
Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. --Rev. ii. 10. [1913 Webster]
2. A royal headdress or cap of sovereignty, worn by emperors, kings, princes, etc. [1913 Webster]
Note: Nobles wear coronets; the triple crown of the pope is usually called a tiara. The crown of England is a circle of gold with crosses, fleurs-de-lis, and imperial arches, inclosing a crimson velvet cap, and ornamented with thousands of diamonds and precious stones. [1913 Webster]
3. The person entitled to wear a regal or imperial crown; the sovereign; -- with the definite article. [1913 Webster]
Parliament may be dissolved by the demise of the crown. --Blackstone. [1913 Webster]
Large arrears of pay were due to the civil and military servants of the crown. --Macaulay. [1913 Webster]
4. Imperial or regal power or dominion; sovereignty. [1913 Webster]
There is a power behind the crown greater than the crown itself. --Junius. [1913 Webster]
5. Anything which imparts beauty, splendor, honor, dignity, or finish. [1913 Webster]
The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness. --Prov. xvi. 31. [1913 Webster]
A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband. --Prov. xvi. 4. [1913 Webster]
6. Highest state; acme; consummation; perfection. [1913 Webster]
Mutual love, the crown of all our bliss. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
7. The topmost part of anything; the summit. [1913 Webster]
The steepy crown of the bare mountains. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]
8. The topmost part of the head (see Illust. of {Bird}.); that part of the head from which the hair descends toward the sides and back; also, the head or brain. [1913 Webster]
From toe to crown he'll fill our skin with pinches. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
Twenty things which I set down: This done, I twenty more-had in my crown. --Bunyan. [1913 Webster]
9. The part of a hat above the brim. [1913 Webster]
10. (Anat.) The part of a tooth which projects above the gum; also, the top or grinding surface of a tooth. [1913 Webster]
11. (Arch.) The vertex or top of an arch; -- applied generally to about one third of the curve, but in a pointed arch to the apex only. [1913 Webster]
12. (Bot.) Same as {Corona}. [1913 Webster]
13. (Naut.) (a) That part of an anchor where the arms are joined to the shank. (b) The rounding, or rounded part, of the deck from a level line. (c) pl. The bights formed by the several turns of a cable. --Totten. [1913 Webster]
14. The upper range of facets in a rose diamond. [1913 Webster]
15. The dome of a furnace. [1913 Webster]
16. (Geom.) The area inclosed between two concentric perimeters. [1913 Webster]
17. (Eccl.) A round spot shaved clean on the top of the head, as a mark of the clerical state; the tonsure. [1913 Webster]
18. A size of writing paper. See under {Paper}. [1913 Webster]
19. A coin stamped with the image of a crown; hence,a denomination of money; as, the English crown, a silver coin of the value of five shillings sterling, or a little more than $1.20; the Danish or Norwegian crown, a money of account, etc., worth nearly twenty-seven cents. [1913 Webster]
20. An ornaments or decoration representing a crown; as, the paper is stamped with a crown. [1913 Webster]
{Crown of aberration} (Astron.), a spurious circle around the true circle of the sun.
{Crown antler} (Zo["o]l.), the topmost branch or tine of an antler; also, an antler having a cuplike top, with tines springing from the rim.
{Crown bar}, one of the bars which support the crown sheet of steam-boiler furnace.
{Crown glass}. See under {Glass}.
{Crown imperial}. (Bot.) See in the Vocabulary.
{Crown jewels}, the jewels appertaining to the sovereign while wearing the crown. [Eng.] ``She pawned and set to sale the crown jewels.'' --Milton.
{Crown land}, land belonging to the crown, that is, to the sovereign.
{Crown law}, the law which governs criminal prosecutions. [Eng.]
{Crown lawyer}, one employed by the crown, as in criminal cases. [Eng.]
{Crown octavo}. See under {Paper}.
{Crown office}. See in the Vocabulary.
{Crown paper}. See under {Paper}.
{Crown piece}. See in the Vocabulary.
{Crown Prince}, the heir apparent to a crown or throne.
{Crown saw}. See in the Vocabulary.
{Crown scab} (Far.), a cancerous sore formed round the corners of a horse's hoof.
{Crown sheet}, the flat plate which forms the top of the furnace or fire box of an internally fired steam boiler.
{Crown shell}. (Zo["o]l.) See {Acorn-shell}.
{Crown side}. See {Crown office}.
{Crown tax} (Eccl. Hist.), a golden crown, or its value, which was required annually from the Jews by the king of Syria, in the time of the Maccabees. --1 Macc. x. 20.
{Crown wheel}. See in the Vocabulary.
{Crown work}. See in the Vocabulary.
{Pleas of the crown} (Engl. law), criminal actions. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
