crawfish Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun tiny lobster-like crustaceans usually boiled briefly
    ecrevisse; crayfish; crawdad.
  2. noun small freshwater decapod crustacean that resembles a lobster
    crayfish; crawdad; crawdaddy.
  3. noun large edible marine crustacean having a spiny carapace but lacking the large pincers of true lobsters
    sea crawfish; langouste; rock lobster; spiny lobster; crayfish.
  4. verb make a retreat from an earlier commitment or activity
    back away; back out; pull back; pull in one's horns; crawfish out; withdraw; retreat.
    • We'll have to crawfish out from meeting with him
    • He backed out of his earlier promise
    • The aggressive investment company pulled in its horns

WordNet

Craw"fish`, Cray"fish` noun (Also<
  • Crawfish
  • Crayfish
)
Etymology
Corrupted fr. OE. crevis, creves, OF. crevice, F. crevisse, fr. OHG. krebiz crab, G. krebs. See Crab. The ending -fish arose from confusion with E. fish.
Wordforms
plural -fishes or -fish
Definitions
  1. (Zoöl.) Any crustacean of the family Astacidæ, resembling the lobster, but smaller, and found in fresh waters. Crawfishes are esteemed very delicate food both in Europe and America. The North American species are numerous and mostly belong to the genus Cambarus. The blind crawfish of the Mamoth Cave is Cambarus pellucidus. The common European species is Astacus fluviatilis.

Webster 1913