Now local. Also 5 croumbe, cromp, 9 dial. croom, craam. [repr. an OE. *cramb, *crǫmb f. (cf. wamb, womb):—WG. kramba, whence also MDu. and LG. kramme, Du. kram hook, crook (‘kramme, harpago’ Kilian); f. kramb- grade of *krimb-an: see note to CRAMP sb.1] A hook, a crook; esp. ‘a stick with a hook at the end of it, to pull down the boughs of a tree, to draw weeds out of ditches,’ etc. (Forby). † In early use, also = Claw, talon.
a. 1400. in Leg. Rood, 139. Lord send us þi lomb Out of þe wildernesses ston, To fende vs from þe lyon cromp.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 104. Crombe, or crome [P. crowmbe], bucus [v.r. unceus, arpax].
1533. Richmond Wills (Surtees), 11. A ladyll and a flech crome.
1561. Becon, Sick Man’s Salve, 321. Some rent a peaces with whot burning yron cromes.
1573. Tusser, Husb. (1878), 38. A sickle to cut with, a didall and crome For draining of ditches, that noies thee at home.
1770–4. A. Hunter, Georg. Ess. (1804), II. 351. They [weeds] are drawn out by crombes, forks, &c.
1846. Spurdens, Suppl. to Forby s.v. Croom. Forby has crome a crook. We have muck-crooms, fire-crooms, mud-crooms, as well as croom-sticks.
1862. Borrow, Wild Wales, I. 231. A thin polished black stick with the crome cut in the shape of an eagle’s head.
1869. Lonsdale Gloss., Craam, an instrument with three curved prongs, used by cocklers to take cockle with.
