User Contributed Dictionary

English

crooks

crooks

Crook can refer to the following:

Crooking is a verb to refer to the action of creating a bend or curve; for example, crooking a finger. Hence a crook may be anything that is crooked.
- Specifically, a crook is a tool with a crook in it, such as a shepherd's staff, prelate's crosier, or used in securing a layed Devon hedge; see also flail and crook.
- In music, a crook is a length of tubing used to change the pitch of a natural brass instrument. Musicians who play the natural (French) horn or natural trumpet (the predecessors to the modern (French) horn and trumpet) insert crooks into the instrument to change its length and, hence, its pitch. A crook is also the term for a bent or curved pipe that connects the reed to the instrument body on some double reed instruments; in American usage this is generally called a bocal.
Crook, a slang term for a criminal or a person of questionable morality. Specifically it refers to someone who is corrupt and uses dishonest or unethical tactics to gain money. The adjective crooked can refer to such persons or actions. This version of the term may also be archaically used as a verb in reference to becoming a criminal or causing another to become a criminal.
Biblically, "crooked" meant "twisted", "corrupt", or "not straight".
Crooked Music (Schräge Musik) was a very effective firing system developed by the Germans in World War II which allowed their fighter aircraft to shoot down Allied bombers.
In Australian slang, crook (adjective) means unwell (amongst other meanings).

crooks in German: Crook

crooks in French: Crook