Pa. t. and pple. crossed, crost. [f. CROSS sb.: cf. also CROISE v., and F. croiser, Ger. kreuzen.]
† 1. trans. To crucify. Obs.
c. 1340. Cursor M., 24354 (Fairf.). [He] þat crossed was, was al mi care.
c. 1440. Gesta Rom., lii. 232 (Harl. MS.). Now Criste is i-bounde, scorgide, ande crosside.
c. 1550. Cheke, Matt. xxvi. 2. Ye son of man schal be deliverd to be crossed. Ibid., xxvii. 30. Yei … caried him awai to be crossed.
2. To make the sign of the cross upon or over.
c. 1430. Pilgr. Lyf Manhode, I. xi. (1869), 8. Thilke shal also crosse thee.
c. 1440. Capgrave, Life St. Kath., IV. 1318. The mayde … crossed hir hed, hir mowth and hir brest.
1547. Boorde, Brev. Health, 4. I … weke of faith and afeard, crossed my selfe.
1548–9. Bk. Com. Prayer, Confirmacion, Then the Bushop shall crosse them in the forehead.
1608. Bp. Hall, Char. Vertues & Vices, II. 87. This man dares not stirre foorth till his brest be crossed, and his face sprinckled.
1719. De Foe, Crusoe (1840), II. vi. 121. They crossed it, and blessed it.
1827. O. W. Roberts, Narr. Voy. Centr. Amer., 228. He crossed himself, and expressed much surprise.
1867. Whittier, Tent on Beach, Brother of Mercy, 73. The pale monk crossed His brow.
b. To cross a fortune-teller’s hand with silver: to describe crossing lines on her hand with a silver coin given by the consulter: hence to give money to.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 130, ¶ 1. An honest Dairy-maid who crosses their Hands with a Piece of Silver every Summer.
1766. Goldsm., Vic. W., x. 90. My girls came running to me for a shilling a piece to cross her hand with silver.
1821. Clare, Vill. Minstr., I. 54. Crossing their hands with coin … How quak’d the young to hear what things they knew.
1838. D. Jerrold, Men of Char., I. 137. Every domestic … had crossed her [the fortune-teller’s] hand and looked on future life.
† 3. To mark with a cross in sign of a vow; esp. of the vow to wrest the Holy Land from the Saracens; = CROISE 2. Obs.
1481. Caxton, Godfrey, xvi. Whan one of the grete barons was croysed so on his sholdre … alle the peple of the contre that were also crossyd cam to hym, and chees hym for theyr captayne.
15[?]. Coer de L., 2131. (from a printed copy) For he is crossed a pilgrim.
1610. Bp. Carleton, Jurisd., 210. The Souldiers which were crossed for the holy warres.
4. To cancel by marking with a cross or by drawing lines across; to strike out, erase. (lit. and fig.) Const. off, out.
[Cf. 1472. Paston Lett., No. 696, III. 47.]
1483. Cath. Angl., 84. To Crosse, cancellare.
c. 1515. Everyman, in Hazl., Dodsley, I. 136. I cross out all this.
c. 1600. Day, Begg. Bednall Gr., I. i. Heres my Bill, I pray see me crost.
1614. Bp. Hall, Recoll. Treat., 639. The debt is paid, the score is crossed.
a. 1623. W. Pemble, Worthy Rec. Lord’s Supper (1633), 43. To have gotten the debt-booke crossed.
1813. Southey, Ballads, March to Moscow, 8. And Krosnoff he cross’d them off.
1858. Hawthorne, Fr. & It. Jrnls., I. 151. I am very glad I have seen the pope, because now he may be crossed out of the list of sights to be seen.
b. In College usage; see quots.
1576. in W. H. Turner, Select. Rec. Oxford, 380. Every suche person … shalbe dyscharged of the same house, and have hys hedd crossed heare.
1825. C. M. Westmacott, Engl. Spy, I. 156. I move that we have him crossed in the buttery.
1865. Cornh. Mag., Feb., 228. There is a very absurd punishment termed ‘crossing a man at the buttery,’ which means that a × is set against his name to prohibit the butler from serving him.
1884. Weekly Reg., 18 Oct., 503/2. If you did not go he ‘crossed’ you, thereby cutting off all your supplies of food.
5. To lay (a thing) across or athwart another; to set (things) across each other; to place crosswise.
To cross swords: to engage in fighting with swords; also fig. † To cross legs or shins (i.e., in wrestling; hence fig.).
c. 1489. Caxton, Sonnes of Aymon, xxii. 471. He … layd hymselfe doun on a bed wyth his legges crossed.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 259 b. Whan he casteth the stole aboute his necke, and crosseth it before his brest.
1581. Styward, Mart. Discipl., II. 110. If your battaile be assalted with horse, then couch and crosse your pikes.
1645. Bp. Hall, Remedy Discontents, 148. We must meet with rubs; and perhaps crosse shinnes, and take fals too.
1653. E. Chisenhale, Cath. Hist., 476. He has crossed legs with himself, and given himself the fall.
1751. R. Paltock, P. Wilkins, xii. Thus I proceeded, crossing, joining, and fastening all together, till the whole roof was … strong.
1816. Scott, Old Mort., xvi. Few men ventured to cross swords with him.
1826. Disraeli, Viv. Grey, VI. vi. His arms crossed behind him.
1886. Mrs. Lynn Linton, Paston Carew, I. viii. 141. They rarely met without crossing swords on one matter if not on another.
b. Naut. To set in position across the mast; hoist (a cross-sail): said formerly of sails, later of yards of a square-rigged vessel. Cf. CROSS-SAIL.
1393. Gower, Conf., I. 81. And forþ þei wenten into schipe And crossen seil and made hem ȝare Anon as þogh þei wolden fare.
c. 1530. Ld. Berners, Arth. Lyt. Bryt. (1814), 250. A fayre ryuer, wherein were manye shyppes, some vnder sayle, and some redye crossed.
1627. Capt. Smith, Seaman’s Gram., ix. 38. Crosse your yards.
1840. Dana, Before the Mast, v. (1854), 22. The wind having become light, we crossed our royal and skysail yards.
6. Of things: To lie or pass across; to intersect.
c. 1391. Chaucer, Astrol., I. § 5. Over-thwart this … lyne, ther crosseth hym a-nother lyne.
1703. Moxon, Mech. Exerc., 149. Set another Board … so that … they cross one another.
1774. Goldsm., Nat. Hist. (1776), II. 148. They [rays] must cross each other in the central point.
1840. Lardner, Geom., 65. The point X, where they [lines] cross each other.
b. intr.
1697. [see CROSSING ppl. a.].
1869. Ouseley, Counterp., vi. 30. It is allowable … to let the parts cross, so that the upper part should be below the lower part for a note or two.
Mod. At the spot where two roads cross.
c. trans. To sit across, bestride (a horse, etc.). colloq.
1760. R. Heber, Horse Matches, ix. 31. Ill bred riders crossing Queen Mab.
1781. Cowper, Retirement, 467. To cross his ambling pony day by day.
1835. Sir G. Stephen, Search of Horse, i. 7. The ‘sweetest little park horse that ever was crossed.’
1876. Trevelyan, Macaulay (1883), I. 123. He seldom crossed a saddle, and never willingly.
7. To draw a line across (another line or surface); to mark with lines or streaks athwart the surface; to write across (a letter).
1703. Moxon, Mech. Exerc., 324. Then cross this Line at right Angles with the Line CF.
1797. Bewick, Brit. Birds (1847), I. 65. With spots of white, crossed with zigzag lines.
1849. Thackeray, in Scribn. Mag., I. 557/1. See how beautifully I have put stops to the last sentence, and crossed the t’s and dotted the i’s!
1850. Mrs. Carlyle, Lett., II. 115. A letter … two little sheets all crossed!
b. Farming. To cross-plough; also intr. To admit of being crossed-ploughed.
1796. Hull Advertiser, 13 Feb., 1/4. The strong lands … are much chilled … and will cross badly … for want of dry winds.
1859. Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc., XX. I. 213. I have broken up 201 acres, and have crossed 128 acres. Ibid. (1864), XXV. II. 298. In the month of May I cross the work by steam, going down this time to twelve inches.
c. Banking. To cross a cheque: to write across the face the name of a banking company, or simply the words ‘& Co,’ between two lines, to be filled up with the name of a banking company, through whom alone it may be paid.
The crossing of cheques originated at the Clearing House, the name of the bank presenting the cheque being written across it to facilitate the work of the clearing-house clerks. See Exchequer Reports (1853), VII. 402.
1834. Barnewell & Adolphus, Reports, IV. 752. Across the face of the cheque he had written the name of Martin & Co. A cheque so crossed, if presented by any person but the banker whose name is written across, is not paid without further enquiry.
1855. Ann. Reg., 192. He … requested that he would cash it [a cheque] for him, as it was crossed.
1866. Crump, Banking, iii. 83. Should the cheque be delivered to the payee, it is a good plan to ask for his banker’s name, and cross it.
8. To pass over a line, boundary, river, channel, etc.; to pass from one side to the other of any space. a. trans.
1583. Foxe, A. & M., App. 2136/2. Intendyng … to have crossed the seas into Fraunce.
1591. Shaks., Two Gent., I. i. 22. How yong Leander crost the Hellespont.
1667. Milton, P. L., II. 920. No narrow frith He had to cross.
1709. Steele, Tatler, No. 48, ¶ 4. They crossed Cornhill together.
1860. Tyndall, Glaciers, I. iii. 27. Our aim being to cross the mountains.
1873. Black, Pr. Thule, xiii. 196. White clouds were slowly crossing a fair blue sky.
Mod. After crossing the Equator, the ship was becalmed.
b. intr. Also with over. (In early use said of hunted beasts which wheel round and cross their own track.)
1486. Bk. St. Albans, E ij b. When ye hunt at the Roo … He crosses and tresones yowre howndys byfoore.
1530. Palsgr., 502/1. I crosse over the waye.
1594. Shaks., Rich. III., I. iv. 10. I … was embark’d to crosse to Burgundy.
1632. Lithgow, Trav., IX. (1682), 384. Crossing over in a Boat to the Town of Putzolo.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 63, ¶ 7. I left the Temple, and crossed over the Fields.
1848. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. 559. The only ford by which the travellers could cross.
1883. in Daily Tel., 15 May, 2/7. Peate [bowler at cricket] now crossed over to the other end.
c. causal. To carry across.
1804. Monson, in Owen, Wellesley’s Desp., 525. Finding the river fordable, I began to cross my baggage.
1882. H. S. Holland, Logic & Life (1883), 14. It shifts and moves and crosses them from place to place.
9. Of things: To extend across from side to side.
1577. B. Googe, Heresbach’s Husb., IV. (1586), 171 b. They must have warme Houses, as your Pigions have, crossed through with small Pearches.
1631. Gouge, God’s Arrows, IV. xv. 399. The maine Summier which crossed the garret was ten inches square.
1832. Stat. 2 & 3 Wm. IV., c. 64. Sched. O. 48. The said railroad … crosses a small stream.
b. intr.
1613–39. I. Jones, in Leoni, Palladio’s Archit. (1742), II. 43. A Wall that crosses from the said Wall to the Cornice.
1653. H. Cogan, trans. Pinto’s Trav., xxxiv. 137. Canals … crossing through the length and bredth of the City.
10. To meet and pass; to pass (each other) in opposite directions; to meet in passing.
1782. Miss Burney, Cecilia, IV. i. She was crossed upon the stairs by Mr. Harrel, who passed her [etc.].
1822. Lamb, Elia, Ser. I. Dream Children. Now and then a solitary gardening man would cross me.
1854. Lowell, Jrnl. in Italy, Prose Wks. 1890, I. 185. Swallows swam in and out with level wings, or crossed each other.
b. Of two letters or messengers: To pass each other on their way between two persons, who have written to each other at the same time. trans. and intr.
1793. Twining, Recreat. & Stud. (1882), 173. I am always angry at this crossing of letters.
1819. Miss Mitford, in L’Estrange, Life, II. iii. 71. Our letters always cross, my dear Sir William.
1848. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., II. 530. This paper on its way to Whitehall crossed the messenger who brought to Portsmouth the order.
1860. Mrs. Carlyle, Lett., III. 19. A letter from me would have crossed yours … on the road.
11. To meet or face in one’s way; esp. to meet adversely; to encounter. arch.
1598. Grenewey, Tacitus’ Ann., III. ix. 77. The legions … which Visellius, and C. Silius, had set to crosse them, droue them backe.
1602. Shaks., Ham., I. i. 127. Ile crosse it, though it blast me.
1628. Earle, Microcosm., A Sharke (Arb.), 36. Men shun him … and he is neuer crost in his way, if there be but a lane to escape him.
1631. E. Pelham, God’s Power & Prov., in Collect. Voy. (Church.), IV. 821/2. Tho’ cross’d sometimes with contrary Winds homeward bound.
1797. Mrs. Radcliffe, Italian, i. He was gone before I could cross him.
1813. Byron, Giaour, 1084. He knew and crossed me in the fray.
fig. 1581. Mulcaster, Positions, xxxvi. (1887), 134. There be two great doubtes which crosse me.
b. To come across (see COME v. 37), to meet with, to come upon in one’s way. rare.
1684. R. H., Sch. Recreat., 19. If the Hound chance to cross them, Sport may be had. But no Rule can be prescribed how to find or hunt them.
1857. Ruskin, Pol. Econ. Art, 20. We can hardly read a few sentences on any political subject without running a chance of crossing the phrase ‘paternal government.’
12. To cross the path of (any one): to meet him in his way, to come in the way of; often implying obstruction or thwarting; also, to pass across his path in front of him. To cross the bows of (a ship): to pass across her path immediately in front of her.
1608. Bp. Hall, Char. Vertues & Vices, II. 88. This man … if but an hare crosse him the way, he returnes.
1818. W. Irving, Sketch Bk., Leg. Sleepy Hollow (1865), 426. He would have passed a pleasant life … if his path had not been crossed … by a woman.
1841. De Quincey, Lond. Remin., vi. Wks. 1890, III. 182. Suppose them insolently to beard you in public haunts, to cross your path continually.
1883. Law Times Rep., XLIX. 332. The Margaret … attempted to cross the bows of the Clan Sinclair.
1892. ‘R. Boldrewood,’ Nevermore, III. xx. 66. Let him cross my path again at his peril.
13. To cross one’s mind, etc. (rarely to cross one): to occur suddenly or momentarily to one, as if flashed across the mind.
1768. Sterne, Sent. Journ., Snuff-box. The good old monk was within six paces of us, as the idea of him cross’d my mind.
1818. Scott, Hrt. Midl., xxvii. No notion, therefore, of impropriety crossed her imagination.
1834. Medwin, Angler in Wales, I. 258. Such an idea never crossed one of our minds.
1861. Dickens, Gt. Expect., li. A misgiving crossed me that Wemmick would be instantly dismissed.
14. fig. To thwart, oppose, go counter to.
c. 1555. J. Rogers, in Foxe, A. & M. (1846), VI. 608. He but chasteneth his dearlings and crosseth them for a small while … as all fathers do with their children.
1588. J. Udall, Demonstr. Discip. (Arb.), 72. He that loueth Christ, cannot crosse the course of the Gospel.
1631. Gouge, God’s Arrows, IV. x. 388. It is therefore better that our purpose and desire be crossed, if at least it be contrary to Gods, then effected.
1673. Temple, Ireland, Wks. 1731, I. 113. Without crossing any Interest of Trade in England.
1711. Steele, Spect., No. 2, ¶ 1. He was crossed in Love.
1722. De Foe, Relig. Courtsh., I. i. (1840), 10. He will never cross her in small Matters.
1848. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., II. 255. He therefore determined to cross those designs.
1876. F. E. Trollope, Charming Fellow, I. xi. 149. I never cross her, or talk to her much when she is not feeling well.
† b. To bar, debar, preclude from. Obs. rare.
1593. Shaks., 3 Hen. VI., III. ii. 127. To crosse me from the Golden time I looke for.
a. 1650. W. Bradford, Plymouth Plant. (1856), 329. He in ye end crost this petition from taking any further effecte in this kind.
† c. To contradict, contravene, traverse (a sentence, statement, etc.). Obs.
1589. Greene, Menaphon (Arb.), 42. When I alledged faith, she crost me with Æneas.
1614. Bp. Hall, Recoll. Treat., 848. They … will be crossing every thing that is spoken.
1675. Brooks, Gold. Key, Wks. 1867, V. 55. One divine sentence cannot cross and rescind another.
1687. Dryden, Hind & P., III. lxviii. 4. A sort of Doves … Who cross the Proverb, and abound with Gall.
1702. Charlett, Lett., in Pepys’ Diary, 26 Sept. Which makes travel so easy, as to cross a sentence of Lord Burghley’s [to the contrary].
† 15. intr. To cross with: to go counter to. Obs.
1580. Sidney, Arcadia, I. (1590), 20 (J.). Mens actions doo not alwaies crosse with reason.
a. 1641. Bp. Mountagu, Acts & Mon. (1642), 150. Yet that crosseth not with abbreviation, but confirmes it rather.
a. 1662. Heylyn, Life Laud (1668), 156. When it seemed … to cross with the Puritan Interest.
† b. To cross upon (or on): (a) to oppose, go counter to; (b) to come across, come upon. Obs.
a. 1678. Feltham, Resolves, etc. (1709), 552. So long as we cross not upon Religion.
1701. Collier, M. Aurel. (1726), 246. He that crosses upon this design, is prophane in his contradiction.
1748. Walpole, Lett. to G. Montagu (1891), II. 121. In this search I have crossed upon another descent.
1750. Chesterf., Lett., II. ccxx. 349. He is in hopes of crossing upon you somewhere or other.
1824. Miss L. M. Hawkins, Mem., I. 25, note. One day suddenly crossing on the gentleman.
16. trans. To cause to interbreed; to modify (a race) by interbreeding; to cross-fertilize (plants).
1754. Warburton, Letters (1809), 174. As that people [the Jews] had no commerce with any other, there was a necessity of crossing the strain as much as possible.
1774. Goldsm., Nat. Hist. (1776), III. 282. This variety seems formed by crossing the breed of such as are imported from various climates.
1802. Ann. Reg., 353. The advantage which has resulted from crossing the breed of cattle.
1851. Beck’s Florist, 142. Cross such flowers as appear likely to yield the most desirable colours and shapes.
1883. Stevenson, Silverado Sq. (1886), 51. A setter crossed with spaniel.
absol. 1842. Bischoff, Woollen Manuf., II. 141. They have been generally crossing for bigger sheep, and of course have produced a coarser kind of wool and heavier fleeces.
b. intr. To breed together, being of distinct races or breeds, to interbreed.
1823. Coleridge, Table-t. (1835), I. 38 (Webster). If two individuals of distinct races cross, a third, or tertium aliquid, is invariably produced, differing from either, as a white and a negro produce a mulatto.
1845. Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc., VI. II. 453. These [mares] do not cross well with the thorough-bred stallions.
