crowbar
crowbar Lexical Profile
crowbar Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A heavy iron or steel bar with one end flattened, slightly bent, and often cleft, used as a lever for prying things open or lifting heavy objects.
"The rescue workers used a heavy crowbar to pry open the jammed doors of the train car."
• verb
To forcefully fit or insert something into a space, context, or narrative where it does not naturally belong.
"The studio attempted to crowbar a romantic subplot into the otherwise fast-paced action thriller."
To force or pry something open using a crowbar or a similar type of lever.
"They had to crowbar the rusted window frames out of the brick wall before installing the new ones."
• Rhymes for crowbar
Word Origin & Etymology
From the mid-18th century, combining 'crow' and 'bar'. The tool was originally known simply as a 'crow' since the late 14th century because the forked end resembled a crow's beak or foot.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.