See Also: CROSS(finance)
cross-(dictionary)
cross(3)(dictionary)
Red Cross(dictionary)
hot-cross bun(dictionary)
Red Cross(encyclopedia)
red cross(medicine)
O.K. to cross(finance)
cross-cut bur(medicine)
Cross(medicine)

cross- (iou)



cross- combining form.
[Repr. CROSS noun, adjective, preposition & adverb.]
In combs. in various relations and with various senses, as 'a cross', 'transverse(ly)', 'in opposition', 'across'. (In some a hyphen is optional, others are customarily written as two words or as one.)
cross-accent noun (Music) a syncopated accent, syncopation M20.
cross-action noun a legal action brought on the same subject by a defendant against a plaintiff or another defendant M19.
cross-aisle noun (an arm of) a transept LME-L18.
cross-beak noun = CROSSBILL noun L17.
cross-beam noun a transverse beam L15.
cross-bearer noun a person who carries or wears a cross; esp. one who carries an archbishop's cross before him in procession: M16.
cross-bearings noun pl. (Nautical) bearings of two or more objects from one point, or of one object from two or more points, which enable the single position to be found given the others E19.
cross-'bedding noun (Geology) layering within a stratum and at an angle to the main bedding plane L19.
cross-bench noun each of the benches in the House of Lords where peers sit who have no party allegiance (usu. in pl.) M19.
cross-'bencher noun a member of either House of Parliament who sits on the cross-benches or asserts his or her independence of party allegiance L19.
crossbones noun pl. a figure of two crossed thigh bones as an emblem of death (usu. under the figure of a skull: see skull and crossbones s.v. SKULL noun1) L18.
cross-border adjective (a) that forms a border across a fabric etc.; (b) passing, occurring, or performed across a border between two countries etc.: L19.
cross bun noun phr. (usu. more fully
hot cross bun): marked with a cross, traditionally for eating on Good Friday M18.
cross-'buttock noun & verb (a) noun a throw in which a wrestler throws an opponent head first over his or her hip; (b) verb trans. throw in this way: E18.
cross-'buttocker noun (a wrestler who uses) a cross-buttock E19.
cross-channel adjective passing or situated across a channel, esp. the English Channel L19.
cross-co'nnect verb trans. connect (each of a set of wires etc.) to a non-corresponding wire etc. in another set L19.
cross-co'nnection noun a cross-connected arrangement L19.
cross-corner noun a diagonally opposite corner of a quadrilateral;
at cross-corners with (fig.), directly contrary to: E19.
cross-corre'lation noun a correlation between two different series of measurements etc. E20.
cross-'country adjective, adverb, & noun (a) adjective & adverb (going, leading, or taking place) across fields etc. rather than along (main) roads; (of a flight) involving landing at a point distant from the take-off point and the practice of air navigation; (b) noun a cross-country run, flight, etc.; cross-country running, skiing, etc.: M18.
cross-court adjective (of a stroke in tennis etc.) hit diagonally across the court E20.
cross-cousin noun either of two cousins who are children of a brother and sister L19.
cross crosslet noun phr. a Greek cross in which each limb is crossed L15.
cross-'cultural adjective pertaining to or involving different cultures or comparison between them M20.
cross-'culturally adverb in cross-cultural terms M20.
cross-current noun (a) a current in a river or sea which flows across another; (b) fig. a process or tendency which is in conflict with another: L16.
cross-'date verb trans. (Archaeology) date by correlation with the chronology of another culture, site, etc. M20.
cross-division noun (an instance of) division of a group according to more than one principle, producing problems of classification E19.
cross-'dress verb intrans. wear clothes of members of the opposite sex L20.
cross-'dresser noun a transvestite L20.
cross-exami'nation noun a spell of, or the action of, cross-examining E19.
cross-e'xamine verb trans. examine with minute and persistent questioning; (of a barrister etc.) question (a witness for the other side) in order to weaken evidence previously given or elicit evidence favourable to the barrister's own side: M17.
cross-eyed adjective having one or both eyes turned inwards in a squint L18.
cross-fade verb & noun (Broadcasting) (a) verb intrans. fade out one sound while fading in another; (b) noun an act of cross-fading: M20.
cross-'fenced adjective (US) having additional fencing inside a fenced enclosure L20.
cross-fertili'zation noun fertilization in which the fusing gametes come from different individuals; fig. the fruitful interchange of ideas, information, etc.: M19.
cross-'fertilize verb (a) verb trans. fertilize with gametes from another individual of the same species; cross-pollinate; fig. help or promote by interchange of ideas, information, etc.; (b) verb intrans. employ cross-fertilization (lit. & fig.): M19.
cross-fingering noun on a woodwind instrument, a method or the action of changing a note by a semitone by uncovering one hole part of the way along the instrument and covering up one or more of the holes nearer the open end; an instance of this: L19.
crossfire noun lines of gunfire crossing one another from different positions; fig. (danger due to) attacks from different quarters: M19.
cross-fixed adjective crucified E17-M19.
crossflow noun a type of engine cylinder head where the intake ports are on the opposite side of the engine from the exhaust ports L20.
cross fox noun phr. = patch fox s.v. PATCH noun1 M19.
cross-'garnet noun a hinge composed of a short vertical piece fastened to a door frame and a longer horizontal one fastened to the face of the door M17.
cross-'gartered adjective (Hist.) having garters crossed on the legs L16.
cross-'gartering noun (Hist.) the wearing of garters crossed on the legs E17.
cross-'grained adjective & adverb (a) adjective (of wood) having a grain that deviates from the longitudinal direction; fig. difficult to deal with, perverse; (b) adverb across the grain (lit. & fig.): M17.
cross-'grainedness noun perversity, irritability M17.
cross-guard noun a guard on a sword, dagger, etc., consisting of a short transverse bar M19.
cross-hair noun = cross-wire L19.
cross-'handed adjective & adverb (a) adjective having the hands crossed; (of a boat) rowed with hands crossed; (b) adverb with the hands crossed: M19.
cross-handled adjective having a handle in the form of a cross E19.
cross-hatch verb trans. engrave with two sets of parallel lines crossing each other; shade in this way; mark with crossing lines: E19.
cross-'index verb trans. index under another heading as a cross-reference L19.
cross-in'fection noun transfer of infection, esp. to a hospital patient with a different infection etc. M20.
cross-keys noun pl. two keys depicted in the form of an X, as in the papal arms M16.
cross-kick verb & noun (a) verb intrans. kick a football across the field; (b) noun a kick across a football field: E20.
cross-legged adverb & adjective (a) adverb with the legs crossed at the ankles and bent outwards; (b) adjective lying with one leg laid over the other; sitting cross-legged: M16.
cross-light noun a light which crosses another and illuminates parts which the other leaves in shade M19.
cross-line noun (a) a line drawn across another; (b) a fishing-line stretched across a stream with many hooks attached: LME.
cross-link noun & verb (Chemistry) (a) noun a bond, atom, or short chain of atoms that connects two long chains in a polymer molecule etc.; (b) verb trans. & intrans. form a cross-link (with): M20.
cross-'linkage noun (Chemistry) a cross-link M20.
cross-'lots adverb (N. Amer. dial.) by a short cut E19.
cross-member noun a structural member across the width of a motor-vehicle chassis E20.
cross-multiplication noun a method of multiplying together quantities given in feet and inches, etc., without reducing them to one denomination; also called
duodecimals: E18.
cross-pass noun a pass across a football etc. field E20.
crosspatch noun an ill-tempered person L17.
cross-path noun a path that crosses between two roads or points M16.
cross-peen, cross-pein adjective (of a hammer) having a peen that lies crossways to the length of the shaft L19.
crosspiece noun a transverse component of a structure etc. E17.
cross-plough, (N. Amer. & arch.) cross-plow verb trans. plough (a field etc.) across the furrows of a previous ploughing M17.
cross-ply adjective & noun (designating) a tyre in which successive layers of fabric have their cords running diagonally, crossways to each other M20.
cross-point noun (a) some kind of dance step; (b) a compass point between two of the cardinal points: L16.
cross-'pollinate verb trans. (Botany) subject to cross-pollination E20.
cross-polli'nation noun the pollination of one plant with pollen from another plant L19.
cross-'posting noun a move to a different department or industry M20.
cross product noun phr. = vector product s.v. VECTOR noun M20.
cross 'purpose noun phr. conflicting purpose: in pl. (treated as sing.), a parlour game involving mismatched questions and answers;
at cross purposes, with a misunderstanding of each other's meaning or intention: M17.
cross-'question noun & verb (a) noun a question put by way of cross-examination; (b) verb trans. interrogate with questions that tend to check previous answers; cross-examine: L17.
cross-re'act verb intrans. take part in a cross-reaction M20.
cross-re'action noun the reaction of an antibody with an antigen other than the one which gave rise to it M20.
cross-'reading noun a reading continued across adjacent columns of a newspaper etc. so as to produce a comic effect L18.
cross-re'fer verb intrans. & trans. refer from or from one place in a book or list to or to another; provide with a cross-reference: L19.
cross-'reference noun & verb (a) noun a reference to another place in a book, list, etc., where the same subject or word is treated; (b) verb trans. provide with a cross-reference; refer to another place by means of a cross-reference: M19.
cross-rhythm noun simultaneous use of more than one rhythm; an instance of this: E20.
cross-row noun the alphabet; = Christ-cross-row s.v. CHRIST-CROSS 2: E16-L17.
cross-ruff noun & verb (a) noun an obsolete card-game; a sequence of play in bridge etc. in which partners alternately trump each other's leads; (b) verb trans. & intrans. play (in) a cross-ruff: L16.
cross-saddle noun & adverb (a) noun a saddle on which the rider sits astride; (b) adverb astride a saddle: L19.
cross-sea noun: running across the wind, or having two sets of waves crossing M19.
cross-sell verb trans. sell (a different product or service) to an existing customer L20.
cross slide noun phr. a sliding part on a lathe or planing machine which is supported by the saddle and carries the tool in a direction at right angles to the bed of the machine L19.
cross-springer noun (Architecture) a rib that extends diagonally in vaulting E19.
cross-staff noun (a) arch. an archbishop's cross; a bishop's crook; (b) Hist. an instrument formerly used for finding the altitude of the sun: LME.
cross-stitch noun & verb (a) noun a stitch formed of two stitches that make a cross; needlework characterized by such stitches; (b) verb trans. sew or embroider with cross-stitches: M17.
cross-street noun a street crossing another or connecting two streets M17.
cross-'subsidize verb trans. subsidize out of the profits of another business or activity M20.
cross-'subsidy noun the financing of losses arising from one business or activity out of profits from another, which may be deliberately increased for the purpose M20.
crosstalk noun unwanted transfer of signals from one circuit, channel, etc., to another; fig. repartee; conversation: L19.
cross-tie noun a transverse connecting piece, esp. (N. Amer.) a railway sleeper E19.
cross-tongue noun a slip of wood with the grain running crossways, used to strengthen a joint L19.
cross-town adjective & adverb (N. Amer.) (that goes or leads) across a town L19.
'cross-train verb trans. & intrans. (a) verb trans. train to perform a new skill or job, esp. one which complements a person's existing employment; (b) verb intrans. train in several different sports in order to improve fitness and performance in one's main sport: L20.
cross-trainers training shoes suitable for a range of sporting activities L20.
cross-tree noun (a) in pl., a pair of horizontal struts attached to a mast, esp. athwart-ships to spread the rigging or support a top; (jack cross-tree: see JACK noun1); (b) poet. = CROSS noun 3: E17.
cross-vault,
cross-vaulting nouns (Architecture): formed by the intersection of two or more vaults M19.
cross-'voting noun voting for a party not one's own or for more than one party L19.
crosswalk noun (a) a path or walk that crosses another; (b) N. Amer. & Austral. a pedestrian crossing: M18.
crosswind noun a wind blowing across one's course E20.
cross-wire noun a fine wire at the focus of an optical instrument, crossing the field of view, to aid in positioning or measuring M19.
crossword noun (more fully
crossword puzzle) a puzzle in which words crossing one another, usu. horizontally and vertically in a chequered pattern of squares, have to be filled in from clues provided E20.
crosswort noun any of various plants with leaves arranged in a cross, or whorl of four, esp. Cruciata laevipes, a straggling hedgerow plant of the madder family L16.