▪ I. crawfish, n.
(ˈkrɔːfɪʃ)
1. The usual form of crayfish n. in U.S. in sense 3 a, b and in S. Africa in sense 3 c.
2. U.S. colloq. [f. next.] One who retreats from or backs out of a position; a political renegade or turn-coat; cf. crawfish v.
| 1860 in Bartlett. 1889 in Farmer. |
▪ II. ˈcrawfish, v. U.S. colloq.
[f. prec. 1; from the animal's mode of locomotion.]
intr. To retreat from a position taken up; to ‘back out’.
| 1848 Congress. Globe Feb. 277/3 No sooner did they see the old British Lion rising up.., than they crawfished back to 49°. a 1860 in Bartlett Dict. Amer., We acknowledge the corn, and retreat, retrograde, crawfish, or climb down.—Cairo Times. 1888 The Voice (N.Y.) 5 July, The remark defeated him for Governor. He tried to crawfish out of it..but it didn't work. 1888 San Francisco Weekly Exam. 22 Mar. (Farmer), He was afraid to bet and crawfished out of the issue by claiming that he didn't drink. |