▪ I. cruse arch.
(kruːs, kruːz)
Forms: 5– cruse; also 5 crowse, crowce, crewse, crwce, 5–7 cruce, 6 crouse, cruys(e, crewyse, 7 cruze, criuze, 8 creuse, 8–9 cruise.
[A word of which similar forms are found in most of the Teutonic langs.; cf. Icel. kr{uacu}s (a 1300) pot, tankard, Da. kruus mug, jug, cruet, Sw. krus mug; also OHG. *krûse represented by dim. krûselîn, MHG. krûse, Ger. krause pot with a lid, MLG. hrûs, krôs, LG. kroos, krûs, kraus; MDu. cruyse, Du. kroes; WFris. kroes, EFris. krôs, NFris. kruas, kröss, Wang. krûs.
The etymological history is uncertain, as is also the original type, since the LG., Du. and Fris. present forms both in û and ô; in Eng. also, it is noteworthy that we have beside ME. u, modern u, where we should expect ou. The variant spelling in ui, (uy) from 16th c. appears to be from Dutch. The historical pronunciation is with s (cf. the early cruce), which also now predominates; but the spelling with z has been occasional since 1600, and a corresponding pronunciation is given by Smart and Cassell, and often heard.]
A small earthen vessel for liquids; a pot, jar, or bottle; also a drinking vessel.
| c 1420 Pallad. on Husb. i. 584 Twey cruses in oon day. Ibid. xi. 349 A cruce into a stene of wyne devise. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 105 Crowse, or cruse, potte [P. crowce or crwce]. 1481–90 Howard Househ. Bks. (Roxb.) 404 For drynkyng crewses for howsold viij.d. 1526 Skelton Magnyf. 2192 Then he may drink out of a stone cruyse. 1535 Coverdale 1 Kings xvii. 16 The oyle in the cruse fayled not. 1603 B. Jonson King's Entertainment, A crystal Cruze fill'd with Wine. 1634 Peacham Gentleman's Exerc. i. xxvii. 94 In a crucible or melting cruse. 1742 Collins Eclogues ii. 3 One cruise of water on his back he bore. 1755 Johnson, Cruise, a small cup. 1817 Coleridge Zapolya 11, What if I leave these cakes, this cruse of wine Here by this cave. 1892 Raine Handbk. York Museum 167 Cruses and Pottle-pots of black and brown ware. |
b. fig. (with allusion to 1 Kings xvii. 12–16).
| c 1620 Z. Boyd Zion's Flowers (1885) 40 Thy cruse of joye is it already spent? 1849 Thackeray Pendennis xx, He had dipped ungenerously into a generous mother's purse, basely and recklessly spilt her little cruse. |
▪ II. cruse
obs. form of crouse.