crest

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. A usually ornamental tuft, ridge, or similar projection on the head of a bird or other animal.
2. n. An elevated, irregularly toothed ridge on the stigmas of certain flowers.
3. n. A ridge or an appendage on a plant part, such as on a leaf or petal.
4. n. A plume used as decoration on top of a helmet.
5. n. A helmet.
6. n. Heraldry A device placed above the shield on a coat of arms.
7. n. A representation of such a device.
8. n. The top, as of a hill or wave.
9. n. The highest or culminating point; the peak: the crest of a flood; at the crest of her career.
10. n. The ridge on a roof.
11. v. To decorate or furnish with a crest.
12. v. To reach the crest of: crested the ridge.
13. v. To form into a crest or crests: waves cresting over the seawall.
14. v. To reach a crest: The swollen river crested at 9 P.M.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. A tuft or other natural process growing upon the top of an animal's head, as the comb of a cock, a swelling on the head of a serpent, etc. See crista.
2. n. Anything resembling, suggestive of, or occupying the same relative position as a crest. An article of dress or ornament; specifically, in armor, an upright ornament of a helmet, especially when not long and floating like a plume of feathers or a cointoise, as a ridge of metal, hair, bristles, feathers, or the like. Crests of diverse forms were usual on ancient helmets, and have been more or less closely imitated in the various forms of crest affixed to the helmets of some modern mounted troops, etc. Stiff crests of hair or feathers were often worn by knights in the middle ages. (Compare aigret.) The crest in medieval armor was early affected by heraldic considerations
3. n. In heraldry, a part of an achievement borne outside of and above the escutcheon. There are sometimes two crests, which are borne on the sides. When the crest is not specially mentioned as emerging from a coronet, chapeau, or the like, it is assumed to be borne upon a wreath. A crest is not properly borne by a woman, or by a city or other corporate body, as it is always assumed to be the ornament worn upon the helmet.
4. n. The foamy, feather-like top of a wave.
5. n. The highest part or summit of a hill or mountain-range.
6. n. In fortification, the top line of a slope.
7. n. In architecture, any ornamental finishing of stone, terra-cotta, metal, or wood, which surmounts a wall, roof-ridge, screen, canopy, or other similar part of a building—whether a battlement, open carved work, or other enrichment; the coping on the parapet of a medieval building; a cresting (which see). The name is also sometimes given to the finials of gables and pinnacles.
8. n. In anatomy, specifically, a ridge on a bone: as, the occipital crest; the frontal crest; the tibial crest. See phrases below, and crista.
9. n. In zoology, any elongate elevation occupying the highest part of a surface. Specifically— A longitudinal central elevation, with an irregular or tuberculose summit, on the prothorax of an insect, especially of a grasshopper. A longitudinal elevated tuft of hairs or scales on the head, thorax, or abdominal segments of a lepidopterous insect.
10. n. In botany: An elevated line, ridge, or lamina on the surface or at the summit of an organ, especially if resembling the crest of a helmet. An appendage to the upper surface of the leaves of curtain Hepaticæ, which in different genera has the form of wing, a fold, or a pouch.
11. n. The rising part or the ridge of the neck of a horse or a dog.
12. n. Figuratively, pride; high spirit; courage; daring.
13. n. See dicrotic.
14. n. In ornithology, a crest of feathers rising from the front or forehead. Such crests are among the most elegant which birds possess. The cedar-bird or Carolina waxwing and the cardinal red-bird exhibit such crests. They are often recurved, as in the plumed quail of the genus Lophortyx.
15. n. A transverse ridge on the hinder part of the skull of some animals, separating the occipital portion from the parietal or vertical portion.
16. n. In ornithology, a tuft of feathers growing from the hindhead.
17. To furnish with a crest; serve as a crest for; surmount as a crest.
18. To mark with waving lines like the plumes of a helmet; adorn as with a plume or crest.
19. To reach, as a wave, the highest point; culminate.

Wiktionary

1. n. A tuft, or other excrescence or natural ornament, growing on an animal's head; the comb of a cock; the swelling on the head of a serpent; the lengthened feathers of the crown or nape of bird, etc.
2. n. The plume of feathers, or other decoration, worn on or displayed on a helmet; the distinctive ornament of a helmet.
3. n. heraldry : A bearing worn, not upon the shield, but usually on a helmet above it, sometimes (as for clerics) separately above the shield or separately as a mark for plate, in letterheads, and the like.
4. n. The upper curve of a horse's neck.
5. n. The ridge or top of a wave.
6. n. The summit of a hill or mountain ridge.
7. n. The helm or head, as typical of a high spirit; pride; courage.
8. n. The ornamental finishing which surmounts the ridge of a roof, canopy, etc.
9. n. The top line of a slope or embankment.
10. n. A design or logo, especially one of an institution, association or high-class family.
11. v. Particularly with reference to waves, to reach a peak.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. A tuft, or other excrescence or natural ornament, growing on an animal's head; the comb of a cock; the swelling on the head of a serpent; the lengthened feathers of the crown or nape of bird, etc.
2. n. The plume of feathers, or other decoration, worn on a helmet; the distinctive ornament of a helmet, indicating the rank of the wearer; hence, also, the helmet.
3. n. (Her.) A bearing worn, not upon the shield, but usually above it, or separately as an ornament for plate, liveries, and the like. It is a relic of the ancient cognizance. See Cognizance, 4.
4. n. The upper curve of a horse's neck.
5. n. The ridge or top of a wave.
6. n. The summit of a hill or mountain ridge.
7. n. The helm or head, as typical of a high spirit; pride; courage.
8. n. (Arch.) The ornamental finishing which surmounts the ridge of a roof, canopy, etc.
9. n. (Engin.) The top line of a slope or embankment.
10. v. To furnish with, or surmount as, a crest; to serve as a crest for.
11. v. To mark with lines or streaks, like, or regarded as like, waving plumes.
12. v. To form a crest.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. the top or extreme point of something (usually a mountain or hill)
2. v. lie at the top of
3. n. a showy growth of e.g. feathers or skin on the head of a bird or other animal
4. v. reach a high point
5. n. (heraldry) in medieval times, an emblem used to decorate a helmet
6. n. the top line of a hill, mountain, or wave
7. n. the center of a cambered road