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Webster 1913 Edition

Crest

Crest

(krĕst)
,
Noun.
[OF.
creste
, F.
crête
, L.
crista
.]
1.
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.
Darwin.
[Attack] his rising
crest
, and drive the serpent back.
C. Pitt.
2.
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.
Stooping low his lofty
crest
.
Sir W. Scott.
And on his head there stood upright
A
crest
, in token of a knight.
Gower.
3.
(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.
The upper curve of a horse's neck.
Throwing the base thong from his bending
crest
.
Shakespeare
5.
The ridge or top of a wave.
Like wave with
crest
of sparkling foam.
Sir W. Scott.
6.
The summit of a hill or mountain ridge.
7.
The helm or head, as typical of a high spirit; pride; courage.
Now the time is come
That France must vail her lofty plumed
crest
.
Shakespeare
8.
(Arch.)
The ornamental finishing which surmounts the ridge of a roof, canopy, etc.
The finials of gables and pinnacles are sometimes called
crests
.
Parker.
9.
(Engin.)
The top line of a slope or embankment.
Crest tile
,
a tile made to cover the ridge of a roof, fitting upon it like a saddle.
–
Interior crest
(Fort.)
,
the highest line of the parapet.

Crest

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Crested
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Cresting
.]
1.
To furnish with, or surmount as, a crest; to serve as a crest for.
His legs bestrid the ocean, his reared arm
Crested
the world.
Shakespeare
Mid groves of clouds that
crest
the mountain's brow.
Wordsworth.
2.
To mark with lines or streaks, like, or regarded as like, waving plumes.
Like as the shining sky in summer's night, . . .
Is
crested
with lines of fiery light.
Spenser.

Crest

(krĕst)
,
Verb.
I.
To form a crest.

Webster 1828 Edition

Crest

CREST

,
Noun.
[L. This is probably, a growing or shooting up, from the root of cresco.]
1.
The plume of feathers or other material on the top of the ancient helmet; the helmet itself.
2.
The ornament of the helmet in heraldry.
3.
The comb of a cock; also, a tuft of feathers on the head of other fowls.
4.
Any tuft or ornament worn on the head.
5.
Loftiness; pride; courage; spirit; a lofty mien.

CREST

,
Verb.
T.
1.
To furnish with a crest; to serve as a crest for.
2.
To mark with long streaks.

Definition 2024

crest

crest

See also: CREST

English

Noun

crest ‎(plural crests)

A bird's crest.
  1. 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. The plume of feathers, or other decoration, worn on or displayed on a helmet; the distinctive ornament of a helmet.
  3. (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. The upper curve of a horse's neck.
  5. The ridge or top of a wave.
  6. The summit of a hill or mountain ridge.
    A helmet with a crest.
  7. The helm or head, as typical of a high spirit; pride; courage.
  8. The ornamental finishing which surmounts the ridge of a roof, canopy, etc.
  9. The top line of a slope or embankment.
  10. A design or logo, especially one of an institution, association or high-class family.
    • 1897, Winston Churchill, chapter 1, in The Celebrity:
      I liked the man for his own sake, and even had he promised to turn out a celebrity it would have had no weight with me. I look upon notoriety with the same indifference as on the buttons on a man's shirt-front, or the crest on his note-paper.
    • 2012 April 26, Tasha Robinson, “Film: Reviews: The Pirates! Band Of Misfits :”, in The Onion AV Club:
      Hungry for fame and the approval of rare-animal collector Queen Victoria (Imelda Staunton), Darwin deceives the Captain and his crew into believing they can get enough booty to win the pirate competition by entering Polly in a science fair. So the pirates journey to London in cheerful, blinkered defiance of the Queen, a hotheaded schemer whose royal crest reads simply “I hate pirates.”
  11. Any of several birds in the family Regulidae, including the goldcrests and firecrests.

Synonyms

Coordinate terms

Translations

Verb

crest ‎(third-person singular simple present crests, present participle cresting, simple past and past participle crested)

  1. Particularly with reference to waves, to reach a peak.
  2. To furnish with, or surmount as, a crest; to serve as a crest for.
    • Shakespeare
      His legs bestrid the ocean, his reared arm / Crested the world.
    • Wordsworth
      groves of clouds that crest the mountain's brow
  3. To mark with lines or streaks like waving plumes.
    • Spenser
      Like as the shining sky in summer's night, […] / Is crested with lines of fiery light.

Anagrams

Etymology

From Middle English creste, from Old French creste (modern crête), from Latin crista.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /kɹɛst/
  • Rhymes: -ɛst

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