crocodiles

1. 1
   noun

   Plural of crocodile.

   Two large crocodiles guarded the narrow channel between the islands.

   Tourists photographed the crocodiles from the safety of the elevated walkway.

   Note

   The ordinary -s plural carries every noun sense of crocodile, not only the reptile. Strictly, crocodiles belong to the family Crocodylidae. Looser use sweeps in alligators, caimans and gavials too, so say crocodilians when you mean the whole order. Crocodiles can also be long lines of children walking together. Figuratively, in the Philippines, they are greedy or corrupt public officials.

2. 2
   verbslang

   Third-person singular simple present indicative of crocodile.

   Each morning the group crocodiles down the lane toward the schoolyard.

   Whenever the teacher leads them out, the class crocodiles neatly along the sidewalk.

   Note

   It shares its spelling with the plural noun, but the verb behind it is Esperanto slang. Someone who crocodiles at an Esperanto gathering is speaking a language other than Esperanto there. The verb is intransitive and takes no object: she crocodiles with her friends, not she crocodiles English. The -s marks a singular subject, and the word belongs to talk about Esperanto rather than general prose.

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