Cruck vs Ruck - What's the difference?
cruck | ruck |
a sturdy timber with a curve or angle used for primary framing of a timber house, usually used in pairs.
*1952 : To construct such a house, it is necessary to select an oak with a branch growing out at an angle of about 45°; the upper part of the tree, above the fork, having been cut off, the trunk and branch are roughly squared and divided in half . If the two halves are then placed opposite one another, with the branch ends pegged together, they constitute what was usually known as a 'cruck' or, more correctly, 'a pair of crucks'. — L.F. Salzman, Building in England , p. 195. A throng or crowd of people or things; a mass, a pack.
*1873 , (Anthony Trollope), Phineas Redux ,
*:Dandolo was constantly in the ditch, sometimes lying with his side against the bank, and had now been so hustled and driven that, had he been on the other side, he would have had no breath left to carry his rider, even in the ruck of the hunt.
*1914 , (Booth Tarkington), Penrod ,
*:At last, out of the ruck rose Verman, disfigured and maniacal. With a wild eye he looked about him for his trusty rake; but Penrod, in horror, had long since thrown the rake out into the yard.
(Australian Rules Football) Contesting a bounce or ball up; used appositionally in "ruck contest". Rucks also used collectively either of ruckmen or of ruckmen and ruck rovers, and occasionally used in place of "followers" (including rovers too).
(rugby union) The situation formed when a runner is brought to ground and one or more members of each side are engaged above the ball, trying to win possession of it; a loose scrum.
The common mass (of) people or things; the ordinary ranks.
*1874 , (Thomas Hardy),
*:"He is well born." "His being higher in learning and birth than the ruck o' soldiers is anything but a proof of his worth. It shows his course to be down'ard."
*1911 , (Saki), ‘Tobermory’, The Chronicles of Clovis :
*:‘Here and there among cats one comes across an outstanding superior intellect, just as one does among the ruck of human beings [...].’
(obsolete) To act as a ruckman in a stoppage in Australian Rules football.
To contest the possession of the ball in a game of Rugby.
To crease or fold.
To become folded.
* 1917' ''"Will you come over now and try on your dress?" Ally asked, looking at her with wistful admiration. "I want to be sure the sleeves don't '''ruck up the same as they did yesterday."'' — Edith Wharton, ''Summer ,
(UK, dialect, obsolete) To cower or huddle together; to squat; to sit, as a hen on eggs.
As a noun cruck
is a sturdy timber with a curve or angle used for primary framing of a timber house, usually used in pairs.As a verb ruck is
.cruck
English
Noun
(en noun)ruck
English
(wikipedia ruck)Etymology 1
(etyl) rukeNoun
(en noun)Chapter 16:
Chapter 23:
Far from the Madding Crowd:
See also
* maul * scrumVerb
(en verb)Etymology 2
1780, from (etyl) . More at (l).Verb
(en verb)Chapter 12.
Etymology 3
Compare (etyl) .Verb
(en verb)- (Gower)
- (South)