Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- adverb So as to be or lie in a cross direction; across.
- adjective Crossing.
from The Century Dictionary.
- In the form of a cross.
- Across; transversely: absolutely or followed by to before an object: as, the timbers were laid crosswise; the woof runs crosswise to the warp.
- Figuratively, contrary to desire; at cross-purposes; against the grain: as, everything goes crosswise to-day. In last two senses also
crossways .
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- adverb In the form of a cross; across; transversely.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- adjective
crossing ; lyingacross - adverb
transversely ; so as to lie across
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- adjective in the shape of (a horizontal piece on) a cross
- adjective lying or extending across the length of a thing or in a cross direction
- adverb transversely
- adverb not in the intended manner
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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He held his sword crosswise in those hands, and the men behind him took the signal.
Conan and The Mists of Door Green, Roland 1995
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Upon arriving at the other edge of the vat, the curd is then cut crosswise, that is, at right angles to the previous cutting direction.
Chapter 6 1989
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In the first place it is to be observed that they can be counted either upwards, or downwards, or crosswise, that is to say, collaterally.
The Institutes of Justinian John Baron Moyle 1891
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If you see a pin crosswise, that is, across your path, it means a ride if you pick it up.
Current Superstitions Collected from the Oral Tradition of English Speaking Folk William Wells Newell 1873
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In general, you can expect the wefts in the fabric-that is, the crosswise yarns of the weave-to split at the site of the impact.
Slate Magazine 2010
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And to cut something "crosswise" is to cut it across its circumference.
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Meaning, do not make the second cut "crosswise" (like I did).
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Then, to roll the eye round and round, there are two little muscles, one above and one below, which run "crosswise" of the orbit, called the upper and lower _oblique_ muscles.
A Handbook of Health Woods Hutchinson 1896
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"This is all because I stepped on some toes and got crosswise with some high-ranking officials," he said.
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With a sharp knife, slice each scallop crosswise into 4 rounds, ¼ inch thick.
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