: any of a family (Gruidae of the order Gruiformes) of tall wading birds superficially resembling the herons but structurally more nearly related to the rails
2
: any of several herons
3
: an often horizontal projection swinging about a vertical axis: such as
a
: a machine for raising, shifting, and lowering heavy weights by means of a projecting swinging arm or with the hoisting apparatus supported on an overhead track
b
: an iron arm in a fireplace for supporting kettles
Verb
We craned our necks toward the stage. craned her head to see the roof
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Noun
Birdwatchers will love spotting their favorite waterbirds like egrets, herons, and giant cranes.—Rebecca Deurlein, Southern Living, 22 July 2025 They are built off-site in Germany, transported to the site, and settled into place with a small crane crew.—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 13 July 2025
Verb
Once each component was completed, it was craned into place, secured, and connected on-site, streamlining assembly and ensuring system-level flexibility.—David Blekhman, Forbes.com, 17 July 2025 Long after the visiting locker room cleared out, Conley felt like a member of the Rebel Alliance on Alderaan, craning his neck toward the sky as the Death Star was being assembled.—Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 1 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for crane
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English cran, from Old English; akin to Old High German krano crane, Greek geranos, Latin grus
First Known Use
Noun
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
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