# crab

/ˈkɹæb/ (US) · /kɹˈæb/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/crab
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. sea creature

noun · CEFR A2

a sea animal with a hard shell, ten legs, and two claws that it uses for pinching.

For teachers: a decapod crustacean of the infraorder Brachyura, characterized by a thick exoskeleton and a pair of chelae.

- We saw a small crab scuttling across the sand and hiding under a rock.
- The children spent the afternoon exploring the tide pools, hoping to catch a glimpse of a ghost crab before it buried itself in the silt.

### 2. food

noun · CEFR A2

the meat of a crab used as food.

For teachers: the edible flesh of the crab, typically harvested from the claws and legs.

- The restaurant is famous for its fresh crab cakes and seafood soup.
- The chef recommended the linguine with hand-picked crab meat, lemon, and a hint of chili to highlight the delicate sweetness of the shellfish.

### 3. grumpy person

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

someone who is easily annoyed or always in a bad mood.

For teachers: an informal term for a person who is habitually irritable, cynical, or bad-tempered.

- Don't be such a crab just because we have to wake up early.
- Ever since he lost his glasses, he has been a total crab, snapping at anyone who tries to help him find them.

### 4. astronomy/zodiac

noun · CEFR B2

the constellation or the star sign called Cancer.

For teachers: the constellation Cancer or the fourth sign of the zodiac, represented by the image of a crab.

- In Greek mythology, the crab was sent to distract Hercules during his fight.
- The astronomer pointed out the faint stars that form the Crab, explaining its significance in ancient celestial navigation.

### 5. to complain

verb · CEFR C1 · Informal

to complain or find fault with something in an annoying way.

For teachers: to grumble or find fault peevishly; to complain about trivial matters.

- He is always crabbing about the weather, even when it is sunny.
- The tenants spent the entire meeting crabbing about the minor increase in service charges without acknowledging the improvements made to the building.

### 6. to move sideways

verb · CEFR C2 · Technical

to move sideways, like the way a crab walks.

For teachers: to move or drift sideways or diagonally, particularly in aviation or cinematography.

- The pilot had to crab the plane into the wind to stay on course.
- The camera operator began to crab the rig to the left to maintain the framing as the actors moved across the courtyard.

## Examples

- The children found a small crab hiding under a rock.
- We spent the afternoon at the beach watching a crab scuttle sideways across the sand toward the water.
- Commercial fishing for king crab remains a dangerous but lucrative industry in the cold waters of the North Pacific.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.