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Definition: Cross |
CrossAdjective1. Extending or lying across; in a crosswise direction; at right angles to the long axis; "cross members should be all steel"; "from the transverse hall the stairway ascends gracefully"; "transversal vibrations"; "transverse colon". 2. Perversely irritable. Noun1. A wooden structure consisting of an upright post with a transverse piece. 2. Marking consisting of crossing lines. 3. A cross as an emblem of Christianity; used in heraldry. 4. Any affliction that causes great suffering; "that is his cross to bear"; "he bears his afflictions like a crown of thorns". 5. The act of mixing different breeds of animals. Verb1. Travel across or pass over; "The caravan covered almost 100 miles each day". 2. Meet at a point. 3. Hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of; "What ultimately frustrated every challenger was Ruth's amazing September surge"; "foil your opponent". 4. Fold so as to resemble a cross; "she crossed her legs". 5. To cover a wide area; "Rivers traverse the valley floor", "The parking lot spans 3 acres". 6. Meet and pass; "the trains crossed". 7. Breed animals or plants using parents of different races and varieties; "cross a horse and a donkey"; "Mendel tried crossbreeding"; "these species do not interbreed". Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. |
Date "cross" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1010. (references) |
Note: Cross \Cross\, preposition Athwart; across. [Archaic or Colloquial]. (references) |
| Domain | Definition |
Satire | CROSS, n. An ancient religious symbol erroneously supposed to owe its significance to the most solemn event in the history of Christianity, but really antedating it by thousands of years. By many it has been believed to be identical with the crux ansata of the ancient phallic worship, but it has been traced even beyond all that we know of that, to the rites of primitive peoples. We have to-day the White Cross as a symbol of chastity, and the Red Cross as a badge of benevolent neutrality in war. Having in mind the former, the reverend Father Gassalasca Jape smites the lyre to the effect following: "Be good, be good!" the sisterhood Cry out in holy chorus, And, to dissuade from sin, parade Their various charms before us. But why, O why, has ne'er an eye Seen her of winsome manner And youthful grace and pretty face Flaunting the White Cross banner? Now where's the need of speech and screed To better our behaving? A simpler plan for saving man (But, first, is he worth saving?) Is, dears, when he declines to flee From bad thoughts that beset him, Ignores the Law as 't were a straw, And wants to sin -- don't let him. Source: Devil's Dictionary. |
Bible | Cross in the New Testament the instrument of crucifixion, and hence used for the crucifixion of Christ itself (Eph. 2:16; Heb. 12:2; 1 Cor. 1:17, 18; Gal. 5:11; 6:12, 14; Phil. 3:18). The word is also used to denote any severe affliction or trial (Matt. 10:38; 16:24; Mark 8:34; 10:21). The forms in which the cross is represented are these: 1. The crux simplex (I), a "single piece without transom." 2. The crux decussata (X), or St. Andrew's cross. 3. The crux commissa (T), or St. Anthony's cross. 4. The crux immissa (t), or Latin cross, which was the kind of cross on which our Saviour died. Above our Lord's head, on the projecting beam, was placed the "title." (See CRUCIFIXION.) After the conversion, so-called, of Constantine the Great (B.C. 313), the cross first came into use as an emblem of Christianity. He pretended at a critical moment that he saw a flaming cross in the heavens bearing the inscription, "In hoc signo vinces", i.e., By this sign thou shalt conquer, and that on the following night Christ himself appeared and ordered him to take for his standard the sign of this cross. In this form a new standard, called the Labarum, was accordingly made, and borne by the Roman armies. It remained the standard of the Roman army till the downfall of the Western empire. It bore the embroidered monogram of Christ, i.e., the first two Greek letters of his name, X and P (chi and rho), with the Alpha and Omega. (See A.). Source: Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary. |
Building & Civil Engineering | A fitting in the form of Tee installed in the pipeline system to guide flow of water in more than one direction in main line or sprinkler line ; a three port fitting in the form of a T ; a short length of tubing(pipe fitting)with an additional opening serving to connect three adjacent lenghts of conduit, two being in line with one another and the third at an angle of 90 degrees to the other two. Source: European Union. (references) |
Dream Interpretation | To dream of seeing a cross, indicates trouble ahead for you. Shape your affairs accordingly. To dream of seeing a person bearing a cross, you will be called on by missionaries to aid in charities. Source: Ten Thousand Dreams Interpreted .... |
Literature | Cross The cross is said to have been made of four sorts of wood (palm, cedar, olive, and cypress), to signify the four quarters of the globe. "Ligna crucis palma, cedrus, cupressus,oliva." We are accustomed to consider the sign of the cross as wholly a Christian symbol, originating with the crucifixion of our Redeemer. This is quite erroneous. In ancient Carthage it was used for ornamental purposes. Runic crosses were set up by the Scandinavians as boundary marks, and were erected over the graves of kings and heroes. Cicero tells us (De Divinatione, ii. 27, and 80, 81) that the augur's staff with which they marked out the heaven was a cross. The ancient Egyptians employed the same as a sacred symbol, and we see on Greek sculptures, etc., a cake with a cross; two such buns were discovered at Herculaneum. It was a sacred symbol among the Aztecs long before the landing of Cortes. (Malinche. In Cozumel it was an object of worship; in Tabasco it symbolised the god of rain; in Palinque (the Palmyra of America) it is sculptured on the walls with a child held up adoring it. "The cross is not only a Christian symbol, it was also a Mexican symbol. It was one of the emblems of Quetzalcoatl, as lord of the four cardinal points, and the four winds that blow therefrom." - Fiske: Discovery of America, vol. ii. chap. viii. p. 250.) Cross (in heraldry). There are twelve crosses in heraldry, called (1) the ordinary cross; (2) the cross humetté, or couped; (3) the cross urdé, or pointed; (4) the cross potent; (5) the cross crosslet; (6) the cross botonné, or treflé; (7) the cross moline; (8) the cross potence; (9) the cross fleury; (10) the cross patê; (11) the Maltese cross (or eight-pointed cross); (12) the cross cleché and fitché. Some heraldic writers enumerate 285 different kinds of crosses. Cross (a mystic emblem) may be reduced to these four: The Greek cross , found on Assyrian tablets, Egyptian and Persian monuments, and on Etruscan pottery. The crux decussata , generally called St. Andrew's cross. Quite common in ancient sculpture. The Latin cross , or "crux immissa." This symbol is also found on coins, monuments, and medals, long before the Christian era. The tau cross , or "crux commissa." Very ancient indeed, and supposed to be a phallic emblem. The tau cross with a handle is common to several Egyptian deities, as Isis, Osiris, etc.; and is the emblem of immortality and life generally. Everyone must bear his own cross. His own burden or troubles. The allusion is to the law that the person condemned to be crucified was to carry his cross to the place of execution. Get on the cross. Get into bad ways; not go straight. "It's hard lines to think a fellow must grow up and get on the cross in spite of himself, and come to the gallow's foot at last,whether he likes it or not." - Boldrewood: Robbery Under Arms, chap. viii. The judgment of the cross. An ordeal instituted in the reign of Charlemagne. The plaintiff and defendant were required to cross their arms upon their breast, and he who could hold out the longest gained the suit. On the cross. Not "on the square," not straightforward. To get anything "on the cross" is to get it unfairly or surreptitiously. See Rosicrucians. Cross (To). Cross it off or out. Cancel it by running your pen across it. To cancel (q.v.) means to mark it with lattice lines. Cross ill-tempered, is the Anglo-Saxon crous. "Azeyn [against] hem was he kene and crous." Cursor Mundi. Source: Brewer's Dictionary. |
Mechanical Engineering | A cruciform pipe fitting connecting four pipe ends, generally at right angles to one another. Source: European Union. (references) |
Mining | See:crosscut. (references) |
Slang in 1811 | CROSS. To come home by weeping cross; to repent at the conclusion. Source: 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue. |
Sports & Leisure | The general appearance of the --, or --, has been described above. Source: European Union. (references) |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
The Latin cross. The Christian cross is a familiar religious symbol of Christianity. Its significance lies in the belief that Jesus Christ was executed by the governor of Judea on a large wooden cross. According to the New Testament Gospels, the manner of Christ's death was crucifixion, which involved being tied or (in Christ's case) nailed to the cross, and left to die. This painful method of execution was common for slaves and non-Romans convicted of serious crimes in the Roman Empire at the time.
During the first three centuries of Christianity, the cross was absent from Christian imagery. The Chi-Rho monogram, which was adopted by the emperor Constantine in the fourth century as his banner called the labarum, was an Early Christian symbol of wider use. The Cross first became prominent in Christian imagery during the 3rd century. An early third century reference (there are few others) is in Clement of Alexandria's unfinished Stromateis or 'Miscellanies' (book VI): he speaks of the Cross as tou Kyriakou semeiou typon, i.e. "the symbol of the Lord." His contemporary Tertullian could designate the body of Christian believers as crucis religiosi, i.e. "devotees of the Cross" (Apol., chapter xvi).
The Cross was the first of the Instruments of the Passion that came to be venerated in the form of relics. In time, even the nails that were used to nail Christ to the cross would be sought out, discovered, elaborately mounted as relics, and venerated in Catholic circles. A nail, said to be one of these, is mounted in the Iron Crown of Lombardy, preserved in the cathedral of the former Lombard capital, Monza.
In Eastern Orthodox Christianity, the cross represents Christ's victory over death and sin, since it is believed that through His death he conquered death itself. Catholic and Orthodox Christians often make the sign of the cross by moving their right hand so as to draw a cross upon themselves. Making the sign of the cross was already a common Christian practice in the time of Augustine. One of the twelve great feasts in the Eastern Orthodox Church is the Exaltation of the Cross on September 14, which commemorates the consecration of the basilica on the site where the (allegedly) original cross was discovered in 326 by Helena, mother of Constantine the Great. In the Catholic Church the comparable feast is the Invention of the Cross, celebrated on May 3.
Numerous relics are claimed to be pieces of the True Cross, often brought to Europe during the Crusades. By the 16th century, skepticism surfaced: Erasmus joked that one could build a ship with all that wood. Santo Toribio de Liébana in Spain holds the biggest of these pieces and is one of the most privileged pilgrimage sites for the Catholic Church. Even a large portion of the cross of the 'good thief' crucified with Jesus (who came to be given the name Dismas in medieval legend) has been recovered; it is reverenced at Rome in the altar of the Chapel of the Relics at the church of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme.
Connected with the cross is the medieval legend of the Tree of Jesse, from the wood of which the cross was said to have been fashioned.
The cross is often shown in different shapes and sizes, in many different styles. It may be used in personal jewelry, or used on top of church buildings. It is shown both empty, and with the body of Christ (corpus) nailed to it, in which case it is typically called a crucifix. Roman Catholic depictions of the cross are often crucifixes, in order to emphasize Christ's sacrifice; but many Protestant traditions depict the cross without the corpus, in order to emphasize the resurrection.
Crosses are a prominent feature of Christian cemeteries, either carved on gravestones or as sculpted stellas. Because of this death meaning, planting small crosses is sometimes used in countries of Christian culture to protest for alleged deaths. Crosses have been erected or carved on pagan sites of worship like mountain tops or menhirs to counter their influences. In Catholic countries, crosses are often erected on the peaks of prominent mountains, such as the Zugspitze, Switzerland, so as to be visible over the entire surrounding area.
Perhaps the best-known form of the Christian cross is that depicted here, called the Latin cross, an equal-armed cross with a longer foot. It may be so called because it is the type of cross used in the Latin (Roman Catholic) church, as opposed to the Eastern Orthodox cross.
Other forms of the Christian cross include:
Many other forms of cross are used as symbols of the Christian faith in heraldry. See cross (heraldry).
- the Celtic Cross, with the crossing circled, as in the standing High crosses;
- St. Andrew's Cross, the decussate cross that takes the form of the Roman numberal 10, an 'X' shape or saltire, the symbol of Scotland;
- the Cross of Lorraine, with a smaller bar above the main horizontal one;
- the Eastern Orthodox Cross, like the Cross of Lorraine, sometimes with a crossbar at the bottom;
- the Maltese Cross or Greek Cross with all members the same shape and form;
- the Cross of St. Peter, an upside down cross, also a symbol of Satanism;
- the Cross of St. Anthony, or Tau Cross, because it is shaped as a capital 'T'.
See also: Christian symbolism
Compare the crossed circle of the Norse god Odin. 'Cross' itself is a word taken from Old Norse, which supplanted the former word 'rood' in Old English. See Roodmas, Rood screen, Rood loft.
Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Christian cross."
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
Two common crosses. 
The bent cross. A cross is a geometrical figure consisting of two lines or bars crossing each other at a 90° angle, dividing one or two of the lines in half. It is one of the most ancient human symbols and crosses are symbols of many religions.
Crosses as markings
- The Roman numeral for ten is X.
- The Chinese character for the number ten (See Chinese numerals).
- The obelus (†)
- The plus sign (+) and the multiplication sign (x).
Crosses as emblems
- Any number of figures used in heraldry; see heraldic cross.
- The Papal cross used in ecclesiastical heraldry.
- Constantine's Labarum (also known as the monogram of Christ).
- The Red Cross as a symbol for medical care in most of the world, (the Red Crescent being used in Islamic countries).
- The Skull and crossbones.
Crosses as symbols
- The Christian cross identifies a Christian and is a symbol for the Christian God (especially Jesus as a reminder of the redeeming sacrifice of the Crucifixion on the True Cross), or a Christian object or location.
- The High crosses of the free-standing Celtic crosses in Britain and Ireland.
- Odin's symbol in Norse mythology was a cross in a circle.
- The ancient Swastika (adopted later by the Nazi).
- The Ancient Egyptian Ankh is also a cross.
Crosses in flags
Several flags have Crosses, especially Nordic ones.
- Danebrogen
- Flag of England
- Flag of Greece
- Flag of Malta
- Flag of Scotland
- Flag of Sweden
- Flag of Switzerland
Constellation
The Southern Cross is a constellation of the Southern Hemisphere.
See also
- Iron Cross
- Cross of Lorraine
- Knights Hospitaller
- Heraldry
- Seal of the demons
- Demons and symbols
Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Cross."
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
Cross is a town located in Buffalo County, Wisconsin. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 366.Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 97.6 km² (37.7 mi²). 97.6 km² (37.7 mi²) of it is land and 0.03% is water.Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there are 366 people, 127 households, and 105 families residing in the town. The population density is 3.8/km² (9.7/mi²). There are 141 housing units at an average density of 1.4/km² (3.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the town is 99.18% White, 0.00% African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.00% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.00% from other races, and 0.55% from two or more races. 1.37% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. There are 127 households out of which 41.7% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 74.0% are married couples living together, 3.1% have a female householder with no husband present, and 17.3% are non-families. 15.7% of all households are made up of individuals and 4.7% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.88 and the average family size is 3.12. In the town the population is spread out with 30.6% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 24.3% from 45 to 64, and 9.0% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 34 years. For every 100 females there are 101.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 106.5 males. The median income for a household in the town is $50,500, and the median income for a family is $52,708. Males have a median income of $32,188 versus $21,667 for females. The per capita income for the town is $19,625. 4.1% of the population and 6.4% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 0.0% are under the age of 18 and 0.0% are 65 or older.Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Cross, Wisconsin."
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
Crucifixion is a method of execution in which the victim is nailed or tied—usually naked—to a large wooden cross (crucifix) and left to hang there until dead. Simply binding the victim's limbs to the cross with rope is thought to have been the most common method; nailing the victim to the cross was reserved for especially serious cases. Death may come by exposure, but more often it comes by way of suffocation: as the victim becomes weaker, they cannot support their body's weight and their lungs become laboriously constricted.
Contrary to popular religious depictions of crucifixion, victims were never nailed to the cross through the palms of the hands without the wrists being tied to the cross arm as the flesh of the hands cannot support the victim's entire body weight; the person would simply fall off. If not nailed through the hand, the stake would have been driven through the wrist (between the radia and the ulna) by tapered iron spikes approximately 5 to 7 in (13 to 18 cm) long with a square shaft 3/8 in (1 cm) across.
There can be several contributing causes of death by crucifixion: physical shock, dehydration, exhaustion, asphyxiation due to collapse of chest muscles, and loss of blood. Death could come in hours or days, depending on exact methods, the prisoner's health and environmental circumstances.
Crucifixion probably originated with ancient Persians. There is evidence that captured pirates were crucified in the port of Athens in the 7th century BC. Alexander the Great introduced the practice throughout his empire. He once crucified a general that disagreed with his campaign plans.
The Crucifixion of Jesus Christ, by Matthias Grunewald
The Romans
Romans adopted the custom from Carthage and used it for rebels, slaves and especially despised enemies or criminals. They used it during Spartacus rebellion, during the Roman Civil War and the destruction of Jerusalem. Crucifixion was considered a dishonourable way to die.The prisoner usually had to carry the horizontal beam to the place of execution, not necessarily the whole cross. If the crucifixion happened in an established place of execution, the vertical beam was probably permanently embedded in the ground.
The Romans often broke the prisoner's legs to hasten death. Burial afterwards was not usually permitted. In some cases, the nails were gathered afterwards and used as healing amulets.
The Roman Empire abolished crucifixion when Christianity became the state religion. Some medieval Muslim rulers used it sporadically.
Medieval Japan
The Japanese method of crucification, used before and during the Tokugawa Shogunate, was different. The victim — usually a sentenced criminal — was hoisted upon a T-shaped cross. Then, executioners killed him with spears. The body was left to hang for a time before burial.
Mesoamerica
There were some reports that after the Spanish conquest of Mesoamerica in the 16th century, in some places where Christianity had been introduced in as yet only an incomplete and superficial way, there were incidents of natives performing human sacrifice by crucifiction.
Modern crucifixions
Crucifixion, while rare in recent times, has been used in recent wars, such as in Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge and during the Sino-Japanese war, where it was used among the many methods of torture and execution used by Japanese soldiers against Chinese civilians--largely in emulation of cruel military practices by their medieval ancestry.During World War I, there were persistent rumors that German soldiers had crucified an Allied (Canadian) soldier on a tree or barn door with bayonets or combat knives. The report was initially reported by Sergeant Hary Band of the Canadian First Division. His report of the 1915 account is as follows:
"On 24 April at St Julien I saw a small party of Germans about 50 yards away. I lay still and in about half an hour they left. I saw what appeared to be a man in British uniform. I was horrified to see that the man was literally crucified, being fastened to the post by eight bayonets.
"He was suspended about 18" from the ground, the bayonets being driven through his legs, shoulders, throat and testicles. At his feet lay an English rifle, broken and covered with blood"
The event supposedly happened to, according to a Red Cross Nurse and multiple testimonies from men of the same unit, a Harry Banks of Canadian 48th Highland Regiment. Although this issue is still under debate by scholars.
This story was widely used in the black propaganda of the time, together with a similar rumor that Germans had bayoneted Belgian babies. Such rumours made for highly graphic and disturbing pictures and were ideal for helping to demonize the enemy.
After the war, investigators tried to determine the veracity of the story of the crucified soldier, but it was inconclusive.
There are persistent stories that crucifixions continue to occur in certain parts of Africa.
Some very devout Catholic Filipinos get themselves crucified for a limited time in Passion Week to imitate the suffering of Christ.
Famous crucifixions
- Jesus Christ
- Spartacus's revolt — Spartacus himself died in battle, but approximately 6,000 of his followers were crucified along the 200 km. road between Capua and Rome, as a warning to any other would-be rebels.
- Peter (according to tradition, Peter crucified upside down at his own request, as he did not feel worthy to die the same way as Jesus)
- Andrew (according to tradition crucified on an X-shaped cross, hence the name St. Andrew's Cross.)
- Archbishop Joachim of Nizhny Novgorod (crucified upside down, on the Royal Doors of the Cathedral in Sevastopol, USSR in 1920)
Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Crucifixion."
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
The True Cross, if it exists, is the cross upon which Jesus Christ was crucified. A feast day commemorating St. Helena's "Invention of the True Cross" is celebrated by the Roman Catholic Church on May 3. (See also Roodmas) The same event is celebrated by the Eastern Orthodox Church as the "Exaltation of the Holy and Life-giving Cross" on September 15, and is one of the twelve Great Feasts of their liturgical year.It was allegedly found by Saint Helena, the mother of Constantine I, who brought it back to Constantinople for veneration in approximately 326. From Constantinople, the True Cross was broken up, and the pieces miraculously multiplied; in the fourth century, St Cyril of Jerusalem remarked that the "whole earth is full of the relics of the Cross of Christ." So many churches claimed to possess a piece of the True Cross, that Erasmus said there was enough wood in them to build a ship. Santo Toribio de Liébana in Spain holds the biggest of these pieces and is one of the most privileged pilgrimage sites for the Catholic Church.
A piece of the True Cross was the most important relic carried by the Crusaders. It was housed in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre under the protection of the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, who marched with it ahead of the army before every battle. It was captured by Saladin during the Battle of Hattin in 1187.
According to one legend, the True Cross was built from the Tree of Knowledge.
See also: Battle of Hattin, Relic, Christian cross, Government Warehouse, Ile de la Cité, Jesus Christ
Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "True Cross."
| The following table is compiled from various sources, across various languages. When English abbreviations or acronyms come from a non-English source, this is noted. | |||
| Entry | Source | Expression | Field |
CROSS | English | Computerized Rearrangement of Special Subjects | Computing |
| CRM | English | Cross reacting material | Abbreviation, Medicine |
Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |||
Synonyms: CrossSynonyms: bad-tempered (adj), crabbed (adj), crabby (adj), cross(a) (adj), crossing(a) (adj), fussy (adj), grouchy (adj), grumpy (adj), ill-tempered (adj), thwartwise (adj), transversal (adj), transverse (adj), crisscross (n), crossbreeding (n), crossing (n), crown of thorns (n), hybridisation (n), hybridization (n), hybridizing (n), interbreeding (n), mark (n), baffle (v), bilk (v), cover (v), crossbreed (v), cut across (v), cut through (v), foil (v), frustrate (v), get across (v), get over (v), hybridize (v), interbreed (v), intersect (v), pass over (v), queer (v), scotch (v), span (v), spoil (v), sweep (v), thwart (v), track (v), traverse (v). (additional references) |
| Synonym by domain: stick-on (sports & leisure). |
| Antonym: uncross (v). (additional references) |
| Context | Synonyms within Context (source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus). |
Adversity | Mishap, mischance, misadventure, misfortune; disaster, calamity, catastrophe; accident, casualty, cross, reverse, check, contretemps, rub; backset, comedown, setback. |
Counteraction | Verb: counteract; run counter, clash, cross; interfere with, conflict with; contravene; jostle; go against, run against, beat against, militate against; stultify; antagonize, block, oppose; traverse; withstand; (resist); hinder; repress; (restrain); react; (recoil). |
Mixture | Instill, imbue; infuse, suffuse, transfuse; infiltrate, dash, tinge, tincture, season, sprinkle, besprinkle, attemper, medicate, blend, cross; alloy, amalgamate, compound, adulterate, sophisticate, infect. |
Half-blood, half-caste. mulatto; terceron, quarteron, quinteron;quadroon, octoroon; griffo, zambo; cafuzo; Eurasian; fustee, fustie; griffe, ladino, marabou, mestee, mestizo, quintroon, sacatra zebrule; catalo; cross, hybrid, mongrel. | |
Opposition | Unfavorable, unfriendly; hostile, inimical, cross, unpropitious. |
Pain | Displease, annoy, incommode, discompose, trouble, disquiet; faze, feaze, feeze (U.S.); disturb, cross, perplex, molest, tease, tire, irk, vex, mortify, wherret, worry, plague, bother, pester, bore, pother, harass, harry, badger, heckle, bait, beset, infest, persecute, importune. |
Passage | Verb: pass, pass through; perforate; (hole); penetrate, permeate, thread, thrid, enfilade; go through, go across; go over, pass over; cut across; ford, cross; pass and repass, work; make one's way, thread one's way, worm one's way, force one's way; make a passage form a passage; cut one's way through; find its way, find its vent; transmit, make way, clear the course; traverse, go over the ground. |
Refusal | Resist, cross; not grant; repel, repulse, shut the door in one's face, slam the door in one's face; rebuff; send back, send to the right about, send away with a flea in the ear; deny oneself, not be at home to; discard, spurn; (repudiate); rescind; (revoke); disclaim, protest; dissent. |
Resentment | Adjective: angry, wrath, irate; ireful, wrathful; cross; (irascible); Achillean; sulky; a; bitter, virulent; acrimonious; (discourteous); violent. |
Rite | Relics, rosary, beads, reliquary, host, cross, rood, crucifix, pax, pyx, agnus Dei, censer, thurible, patera; eileton, Holy Grail; prayer machine, prayer wheel; Sangraal, urceus. |
Scourge | Scaffold; block, ax, guillotine; stake; cross; gallows, gibbet, tree, drop, noose, rope, halter, bowstring; death chair, electric chair; gas chamber; lethal injection; firing squad; mecate. |
Title | Decoration, laurel, palm, wreath, garland, bays, medal, ribbon, riband, blue ribbon, cordon, cross, crown, coronet, star, garter; feather, feather in one,s cap; epaulet, epaulette, colors, livery; order, arms, shield, scutcheon; reward. |
| Source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus. | |
| Domain | Usage | |
Screenplays | I feed on those who cross my path (Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles; writing credit: Anne Rice) Don't cross the streams (Ghostbusters; writing credit: Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis.) A big wooden cross, so every time you feel unappreciated for all your sacrifices, you can climb up and nail yourself to it. (The Ref; writing credit: Marie Weiss and Richard LaGravenese. Starring Denis Leary as Gus, Judy Davis as Caroline Chasseur and Kevin Spacey as Lloyd Chasseur.) I don't think Early Grayce even knew there was a line to cross. (Kalifornia; writing credit: Tim Metcalfe. Starring Brad Pitt as Early Grayce, Juliette Lewis as Adele Corners, David Duchovny as Brian Kessler, and Michelle Forbes as Carrie Laughlin.) How many times have I told you to wash your hands after a weekly cross burning (Blazing Saddles; writing credit: Andrew Bergman; Mel Brooks) | |
Lyrics | Of the cross I bear that you gave to me (You Oughta Know; performing artist: Alanis Morissette) You know, Gila monsters cross the road from here to El Paso (Ice Machine In The Desert; performing artist: Brave Combo) Do I ever cross your mind, anytime (Anytime; performing artist: Brian McKnight) Cross the railroad tracks (Neon Moon; performing artist: Brooks & Dunn) Every cross that we bear (Do I Have To Say The Words?; performing artist: Bryan Adams) | |
Clever | The cross of the Legion of Honor has been conferred on me. However, few escape that distinction. (references; author: Mark Twain) God grades on the cross, not the curve. (references; author: unknown) The safest way to cross life's streets is to hold hands. (references; author: unknown) How do they get a deer to cross at that yellow road sign? (references; author: unknown) What do you get when you cross a snowman with a vampire? Frostbite. (references; author: unknown) | |
Tongue Twisters | If you must cross a coarse, cross cow across a crowded cow crossing, cross the cross, coarse cow across the crowded cow crossing carefully. (references; author: unknown) | |
Movie/TV Titles | Hanged On a Twisted Cross (1996) Cross Road (1973) The Cross and the Switchblade (1972) Double Cross (1972) Kings Cross (1972) | |
Song Titles | Southern Cross (performing artist: Stills & Nash Crosby) Ferry Cross The Mersey (performing artist: Gerry and The Pacemakers) Cross My Broken Heart (performing artist: The Jets) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | ||
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High Tech |
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Consumer Goods |
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Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Thumbnail | Description & Credit | Thumbnail | Description & Credit |
 | Cross section of a human lung. The white area in the upper lobe is cancer, the black areas indicate the patient was a smoker. See artwork: SS-10. Credit: Unknown photographer/artist. |  | (a) cross-section of infiltrating ductal carcinoma of the breast with blood vessels at the periphery of tumor. Magnification x100. (b) cross-section of infiltrating ductal carcinoma of the breast with vessels at the periphery of tumor. Magnification x200. (c) cross section of infiltrating ductal carcinoma of the breast with a small foci of breast cancer cells in which cd34 antibody has stained blood vessels and basement membrane. Magnification x100. (d) cross-section of infiltrating ductal carcinoma of breast shows intense blood vessel proliferation in stromal tissue adjacent to the malignant tissue. Magnification x200. Credit: Unknown photographer/artist. |
 | Histopathology of gastrocnemius muscle from patient who died of pseudohypertrophic muscular dystrophy, Duchenne type. Cross section of muscle shows extensive replacement of muscle fibers by adipose cells. Credit: CDC. |  | The cyllindrical structures are seen in both cross and longitudinal section. Lymph node biopsy from patient with lymphadenopathy due to infection with HIV-1. Credit: CDC. |
 | "2D Cross Section of a 5-Brane" (movie) by Bob Rutkiewicz. From Physics String Theory/M-Theory, a 5-brane equation that has the same number of holes as the full 10-brane. Use DPGraph's Scrollbar to vary A or B. |  | Iron Cross Attitude Simulator With Pilot. Credit: NASA. |
 | William M. Scaife Ready to cross Twin Glacier Bill Scaife with rope. Credit: Coast & Geodetic Survey Historical Image Collection. |  | Vince's Cross at Hut Point Peninsula, McMurdo Station, Antarctica. Named for George Vince, a member of the Scott Discovery Expedition, who drowned nearby. Credit: Paths Less Taken - NOAA at the Ends of the Earth. |
 | Cross on Observation Hill erected as memorial to Robert Falcon Scott. Credit: Paths Less Taken - NOAA at the Ends of the Earth. |  | The floating cross at the mouth of the trap. Excluding the statuette of St. Peter, the patron saint of fishermen, which is traditionally always the same, each Rais places his own images of saints. The cross serves the functional purpose of helping the fishermen read the currents. Slack water is the most desirable time to start the fishing operation. Credit: Fisheries. |
Source: pictures compiled by the editor from various references; see picture credits. | |||
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| "King's Cross" by Melvin Heng Commentary: "King's Cross Station, London." | "Moto cross" by Radek Bayek Commentary: "Well, it was just a man that flew over my head but I was also fast;-)." |
Source: photographs selected by the editor, with permission from the photographers. | |
| Author | Quotation |
Author Unknown | There will be no crown bearers in heaven who are not cross bearers on earth. |
| Don't be afraid to take a big step if one is indicated. You can't cross a chasm in two small jumps. | |
Francis Quarles | No cross no crown. |
Henri Frederic Amiel | To shun one's cross is to make it heavier. |
Horace | Those who cross the sea change only the climate, not their character. |
Luther | God lays his cross upon those whom he loves, and those who bear it patiently gain much wisdom. |
St. John of the Cross | In the evening of life, we will be judged on love alone. |
Thomas p Kempis | Bear the Cross cheerfully and it will bear you. |
William Shakespeare | Send danger from the east unto the west, so honor cross it from the north to south. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | |
| Author | Date | Quotation |
Magna Carta | 1215 | Moreover, for all those possessions, from which anyone has, without the lawful judgment of his peers, been disseised or removed, by our father, King Henry, or by our brother, King Richard, and which we retain in our hand (or which as possessed by others, to whom we are bound to warrant them) we shall have respite until the usual term of crusaders; excepting those things about which a plea has been raised, or an inquest made by our order, before our taking of the cross; but as soon as we return from the expedition, we will immediately grant full justice therein. (reference) |
John Locke | 1690 | But if all the world shall observe pretences of one kind, and actions of another; arts used to elude the law, and the trust of prerogative (which is an arbitrary power in some things left in the prince's hand to do good, not harm to the people) employed contrary to the end for which it was given: if the people shall find the ministers and subordinate magistrates chosen suitable to such ends, and favoured, or laid by, proportionably as they promote or oppose them: if they see several experiments made of arbitrary power, and that religion underhand favoured, (tho' publicly proclaimed against) which is readiest to introduce it; and the operators in it supported, as much as may be; and when that cannot be done, yet approved still, and liked the better: if a long train of actions shew the councils all tending that way; how can a man any more hinder himself from being persuaded in his own mind, which way things are going; or from casting about how to save himself, than he could from believing the captain of the ship he was in, was carrying him, and the rest of the company, to Algiers, when he found him always steering that course, though cross winds, leaks in his ship, and want of men and provisions did often force him to turn his course another way for some time, which he steadily returned to again, as soon as the wind, weather, and other circumstances would let him? Sect. (Second Treatise of Government) |
Treaty of Versailles | 1919 | The Members of the League agree to encourage and promote the establishment and co-operation of duly authorised voluntary national Red Cross organisations having as purposes the improvement of health, the prevention of disease, and the mitigation of suffering throughout the world. (reference) |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
| Title | Author | Quote |
Emma | Austen, Jane | Those who can barely live, and who live perforce in a very small, and generally very inferior, society, may well be illiberal and cross. |
Sylvie and Bruno Concluded | Carroll, Lewis | The shortest way, as I well remembered, was to cross through the churchyard |
So Long, and Thanks For All the Fish | Douglas Adams | A man can't cross a hundred thousand light years, mostly in other people's baggage compartments, without beginning to fray a little, and Arthur had frayed a lot. |
Les Miserables | Hugo, Victor | At that moment a ball broke the cross on his breast, and he fell |
Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man | Joyce, James | An old woman was about to cross the street, an oilcan in her hand |
King Richard III | Shakespeare, William | My Lord of York will still be cross in talk |
Grapes of Wrath | Steinbeck, John | Tom watched them cross the entrance of the dirt road and continue on. |
Gulliver's Travels | Swift, Jonathan | The two great streets, which run cross and divide it into four quarters, are five feet wide |
Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead | Tom Stoppard | We cross our bridges when we come to them and burn them behind us; leaving nothing but a memory of the smell of smoke and a presumption that our eyes once watered |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
| Subject | Topic | Quote |
Health | When both legs are affected by spasticity, they may turn in and cross at the knees. (references) | |
SLE and West Nile viruses are antigenically related, and cross reactions are observed in most serologic tests. (references) | ||
The SCN rests in a part of the brain called the hypothalamus, just above the point where the optic nerves cross. (references) | ||
Business | Rates will be free of regulation but cross subsidies and predatory pricing will be prohibited. (references) | |
Talks between the Government and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on prison visits resumed in June. (references) | ||
Two of the networks are the major transmission networks which cross the Korean peninsula laterally and diagonally respectively. (references) | ||
Civil Liberties | Cyprus | Maronites are charged the same fee each time they cross. (references) |
Fiji | The ICRC and the Fiji Red Cross visit the camp periodically. (references) | |
Cyprus | Requests to cross into the north must be submitted 48 hours in advance. (references) | |
Economic History | Switzerland | Flag: Square, white cross on red field. (references) |
Iceland | Flag: Red cross edged in white on a blue field. (references) | |
Norway | Flag: White cross with blue inner cross on red field. (references) | |
Human Rights | Solomon Islands | Red Cross and other volunteers were able to provide appropriate assistance in rural areas. (references) |
Guinea | Following the incident, Guinean armed forces ceased cross border operation against the RUF. (references) | |
Turkey | Landmines near the Greek border killed 7 persons who were trying to cross the border illegally. (references) | |
Minorities | Nigeria | There were approximately 11,600 IDP's as a result of the conflict, according to the Nigerian Red Cross. (references) |
Nigeria | In the east, violent border disputes between Cross River and Akwa Ibom states continued during the year. (references) | |
Ghana | The Ghana Red Cross reported 68 deaths, 43 injuries, 2600 displaced persons, 203 homes partially or completely burned down, and 17 stores destroyed. (references) | |
Political Economy | MOROCCO | Changes in the rates of individual currencies reflect changes in cross rates. (references) |
CHINA | China uses the RMB/dollar exchange rate as the basic rate and sets cross rates against other currencies by referring to international markets. (references) | |
Western Sahara | Representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) have stated that Morocco indeed has released all Polisario former combatants. (references) | |
Trade | Haiti | Haiti has a liberal foreign exchange regime with no limitations on cross border payments. (references) |
Turkey | X-ray film can only be imported by the Red Crescent Association (sister organization to the Red Cross). (references) | |
Netherlands | EU initiatives are designed to support projects within its Member States and the EU-wide "economic integration" projects that cross over borders. (references) | |
Travel | West Bank | Only cars with special permits are allowed to cross at checkpoints into Gaza. (references) |
West Bank | Prior visa application and bridge-crossing permits are required, however, to cross the Allenby Bridge. (references) | |
Israel | Visas should be obtained in advance for those wanting to cross the Allenby Bridge, which links Jordan and the West Bank. (references) | |
Women | Nigeria | In 2000 Edo, Ogun, Cross River, Osun, Rivers, and Bayelsa States banned FGM. In Edo State, the punishment is a $10 (1,000 naira) fine and 6 months' imprisonment. (references) |
Worker Rights | Nigeria | An EPZ remains under development in Calabar, Cross River State, and a second EPZ is planned for Port Harcourt, Rivers State. (references) |
Colombia | Workers at the Red Cross and the Social Security Institute also went on strike to protest proposed changes in their respective institutions. (references) | |
Lexicography | Devil's Dictionary | RELIQUARY, n. A receptacle for such sacred objects as pieces of the true cross, short-ribs of the saints, the ears of Balaam's ass, the lung of the cock that called Peter to repentance and so forth. Reliquaries are commonly of metal, and provided with a lock to prevent the contents from coming out and performing miracles at unseasonable times. A feather from the wing of the Angel of the Annunciation once escaped during a sermon in Saint Peter's and so tickled the noses of the congregation that they woke and sneezed with great vehemence three times each. It is related in the "Gesta Sanctorum" that a sacristan in the Canterbury cathedral surprised the head of Saint Dennis in the library. Reprimanded by its stern custodian, it explained that it was seeking a body of doctrine. This unseemly levity so raged the diocesan that the offender was publicly anathematized, thrown into the Stour and replaced by another head of Saint Dennis, brought from Rome. |
Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits. | ||
| Speaker | Phrase(s) |
Lynne Cheney | Well, my net proceeds are going to the American Red Cross, and to projects that foster historical appreciation. |
Trisha Meili | Right. And it was always on either the main road of the park or the cross drive is a road, and it has lights on it. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| Speaker | Term | Phrase(s) |
George Washington | 1789-1797 | The establishment of additional cross posts, especially to some of the important points in the Western and Northern parts of the Union, can not fail to be of material utility. |
Ronald Reagan | 1981-1989 | Opportunities and jobs will multiply as we cross new thresholds of knowledge and reach deeper into the unknown. |
George Bush | 1989-1993 | Three tall crosses rise up from the stones, and atop each cross, an anchor, an ancient symbol of hope. |
Bill Clinton | 1993-2001 | A bridge wide enough and strong enough for every American to cross over to a blessed land of new promise. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
| "Cross" is generally used as a noun (singular) -- approximately 33.09% of the time. "Cross" is used about 6,081 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted) |
| Parts of Speech | Percent | Usage per 100 Million Words | Rank in English |
| Noun (singular) | 33.09% | 2,012 | 4,286 |
| Noun (proper) | 30.38% | 1,847 | 4,610 |
| Lexical Verb (infinitive) | 21.37% | 1,300 | 6,087 |
| Lexical Verb (base form) | 13.13% | 798 | 8,706 |
| Adjective (general or positive) | 1.89% | 115 | 30,138 |
| Preposition (except "of") | 0.1% | 6 | 143,867 |
| Unclassified Items | 0.03% | 2 | 245,945 |
| Noun (plural) | 0.02% | 1 | 339,140 |
| Total | 100.00% | 6,081 | N/A |
Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.
| The following table summarizes the usage of "cross" based on a population census conducted in the United States. Ranks and frequencies are based on all names reported and classified. |
