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 a 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.
