cross

KRAWS/kɹɔs/UKKROS/kɹɒs/

Verbcrosses, crossing, crossed

Adjectivecrosser, crossest

Noun pluralcrosses

46 meanings of cross

Practice

1
go acrossverbtransitive
To go over or through something until you reach its other side.
Like walking from one side of a room to the other side.
Look both ways before you cross the road.
They crossed the bridge to reach the village.
UsageSay cross the road, or walk across the road.
Similartraverse, ford, negotiate
Note
2
adjective
Lying across the main direction instead of along it.
Tell the driver our street and the nearest cross street.
The carpenter added a cross beam for support.
UsageComes before a noun: cross street.
Similartransverse, crosswise
Oppositelongitudinal, parallel
Note
3
emblem (shield)nouncountable
A shape or mark made of two lines crossing, like + or ×, used on forms and seen on flags.
The flag showed a red cross on a white background.
Firefighters often wear a badge shaped like a Maltese cross.
Note
4
nouncountable
A model or picture of the shape Christ died on, used in churches, on graves, and as jewelry.
She wore a small gold cross on a chain.
A tall stone cross stands beside the church door.
UsageA crucifix is a cross showing Jesus on it. A plain cross has no figure of Jesus.
Similarcrucifix
5
noun
A post with a crossbar used to kill people by crucifixion, especially the one Jesus died on, often written Cross.
Christians believe that Jesus died on the cross.
Roman soldiers nailed the prisoner to a wooden cross.
UsageSay on the cross: Jesus died on the cross.
Note
6
verbtransitive
To put or draw one thing over another so that they cross.
She crossed her arms and waited by the door.
Cross the two sticks to make the frame.
UsageSay cross your arms or cross your legs. Cross your fingers means hope for luck.
7
verbintransitive
To meet and go across each other, as two roads, paths, or travelers do.
Like two ants walking different ways that meet at one spot.
The two trails cross near the old oak tree.
Our walking routes cross at the park, so we often meet there.
UsageOur paths crossed means we met by chance.
Similarintersect, meet, converge
Oppositediverge
Note
8
nouncountable
The act of going from one side of something to the other.
The actor made a slow cross to the other side of the stage.
The director asked for a faster cross so the scene would not drag.
Similarpassage, traverse, transit
9
blendnouncountable
Something that is a mix of two different things, such as an animal whose parents are different kinds.
Like a drink that is half lemonade and half iced tea.
The toy is a cross between a robot and a dog.
Her dance style is a cross between ballet and hip-hop.
UsageSay a cross between two things.
Similarhybrid, mix, mixture, blend, combination
Note
10
soccer passnouncountable
A kick that sends the ball from the side of the field toward the other team's goal.
Like passing a ball sideways to a friend standing near the goal.
Her cross reached a teammate right in front of the goal.
He sent a high cross into the penalty area.
UsagePlayers send in a cross for a teammate to head.
Similarcenter
Note
11
question witnessverbtransitive
To question a witness for the other side in a court case.
The lawyer crossed the witness for nearly an hour.
Attorneys cross witnesses to test their stories.
Similarcross-examine, question, interrogate
Note
12
nouncountable
A spot where roads meet and go off in four directions.
Go straight through the cross and keep driving to the farm.
Drivers must stop at the cross, where four roads meet.
Similarcrossroads, junction, intersection
Note

Less common meanings

13
angryadjectiveBritish
Feeling angry or in a bad mood.
Like the grumpy face someone makes when they are upset.
Grandad gets cross when the children make noise.
She was cross about the broken cup.
UsageSay cross with someone or cross about something. It is usually milder than angry.
Similarangry, annoyed, irritated, vexed, grumpy
Oppositepleased, happy, calm
Note
14
breedverbtransitive
To breed two different kinds of animals or plants to make a new kind.
Like mixing two kinds of flowers to make a new one.
Farmers cross two types of corn to grow stronger plants.
She crossed a red rose with a white one.
UsageSay cross one plant with another.
Similarcrossbreed, hybridize, interbreed
Note
15
opposeverbtransitive
To go against someone or stop their plans from working.
Like saying no to a boss who always wants their way.
No one wanted to cross the angry king.
He crossed his father and was sent away.
UsageOften in warnings: Don't cross me.
Similaroppose, defy, thwart, contradict, challenge
Oppositesupport, obey
Note
16
mark with Xverbtransitive
To put an X on something, often to show a choice or a spot.
Like drawing a little X to mark your answer.
Cross the box next to your name.
He crossed the wrong square by mistake.
UsageCross out means draw a line through to remove. Forms may say tick or check instead.
Similarmark, tick, check
17
burdennounfigurativelycountable
A hard problem or burden that someone has to put up with.
Like a heavy bag you must carry all day and cannot put down.
His long illness was a heavy cross to bear.
We all have our own cross to carry.
UsageUsually a cross to bear, as in We all have our cross to bear.
Similarburden, trial, affliction, ordeal, tribulation
Oppositeblessing
Note
18
bless yourselfverbreflexivetransitive
To move your hand in the shape of a cross as a religious sign.
He crossed himself before the meal.
Worshippers cross themselves when they enter the church.
Similarbless
Note
19
nouncountable
A hand movement that traces the shape of a cross, used in prayer.
She made a small cross over her heart.
Before the meal, he made the cross.
UsageSay make the sign of the cross.
20
boxing punchnouncountable
A straight punch thrown with the back hand in boxing.
Like swinging your arm over someone's reaching hand to tap their shoulder.
His right cross knocked the other boxer down.
She landed a hard cross on his chin.
UsageBoxers throw a cross, often a right cross.
Note
21
send in (soccer)verbtransitive or intransitive
To kick the ball from the side of the field into the space in front of the other team's goal.
Our winger crossed from the left, and the striker headed the ball in.
Wingers often cross the ball to players waiting near the goal.
UsageSay cross the ball or cross from the left.
Similarcenter
22
nouncountable
A mark made by one line going across or through another line.
Don't forget the cross on each t.
Without its cross, a lowercase t looks a lot like an l.
SimilarX, mark
23
verbtransitive
To mark a check with two lines so it must be paid into a bank account, not cashed.
She crossed the check before mailing it to the landlord.
Always cross a check so no one else can cash it.
Note
24
nouncountable
A medal shaped like a cross, given for being brave or serving very well, and often named for its shape.
The soldier received a cross for saving three people from the burning truck.
Grandpa keeps his war medals, including two crosses, in a glass case.
25
noun
A pipe part with four openings that join pipes in four directions.
26
preposition
Used between two vectors to show their cross product.
27
noun
A monument where roads meet, as in place names like Charing Cross.
28
nounobsolete
An old coin with a cross on it, or money in general.
I should bear no cross if I did bear you; for I think you have no money in your purse.
c. 1598, William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”
29
nounobsoleteIreland
Land that belonged to the church.
the church-lands lying within the same, which were called the Cross
1612, John Davies, Discoverie of the True Causes why Ireland was never entirely subdued
30
noun
A tool for marking lines at right angles when measuring land.
31
noun
On a Rubik's Cube, a plus shape made when four edge pieces on one side are in place.
32
noun
Card number 36 in the Lenormand fortune-telling deck.
33
nounarchaic
A trick to cheat people, such as losing a game on purpose.
34
nounslang
Shooting that comes from several sides.
35
adjectivearchaic
Going against something.
36
adjectivearchaic
Bad and not what you hoped for.
the cross and unlucky issue of my designs
1665, Joseph Glanvill, Scepsis Scientifica
37
adjective
Going the opposite way, or with two things swapped.
38
adjective
Of the sea, rough with waves coming from two directions.
39
adjectivearchaic
Cheating or lying.
40
prepositionarchaic
Over to the other side of.
A fox was taking a walk one night cross a village.
1692, Roger L’Estrange, Fables
41
verb
To write new lines across old ones on the same page to use less paper.
42
verbobsoleteUK
At a college, to mark a student's name so they cannot get meals.
43
verb
Of two things, to go past each other on the way.
44
verb
In cricket, for the two batters to run past one another while scoring.
45
verb
In rugby, to touch the ball down on or past the other team's goal line, scoring a try.
46
verbobsolete
To stop someone from getting something.
to cross me from the golden time I look for
c. 1591, William Shakespeare, “The Third Part of Henry the Sixt,”

More uses

cross outto draw a line through something written

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of cross apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

It came through Old English cros from Old Norse and Old Irish, and ultimately from Latin crux, meaning 'cross'.

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 3 facts

English cross came through Old English cros. en.wiktionary.org
The borrowing history includes Old Norse and Old Irish, in that order backwards from Old English. en.wiktionary.org
The word ultimately derives from Latin crux, meaning 'cross'. en.wiktionary.org