crawfish
Plural: crawfish, crawfishes
Noun
- tiny lobster-like crustaceans usually boiled briefly
- small freshwater decapod crustacean that resembles a lobster
- large edible marine crustacean having a spiny carapace but lacking the large pincers of true lobsters
- Any of various freshwater crustaceans: crayfish.
- Any of various marine crustaceans, rock lobster; especially Jasus lalandii, the Cape crawfish.
- An English-Canadian. Used in some corners of Quebec (including the Gaspé).
Verb
Verb Forms: crawfished, crawfishing, crawfishes
- To retreat from a position or commitment.
- make a retreat from an earlier commitment or activity
- "We'll have to crawfish out from meeting with him"
- To fish for crawfish.
- To backpedal, desert or withdraw (also used with out).
Examples
- He wanted to challenge my word, but decided to crawfish at the last second.
Origin / Etymology
1620s, folk etymology from Middle English crevis, from Old French crevice (French écrevisse), influenced by fish. Compare crayfish.
Synonyms
back away, back out, crawdad, crawdaddy, crawfish out, crayfish, ecrevisse, langouste, pull back, pull in one's horns, retreat, rock lobster, sea crawfish, spiny lobster, withdraw, crawldad, crawlfish, mudbug, yabby
Scrabble Score: 19
crawfish: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Wordcrawfish: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
crawfish: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary