crotch

• POS: Noun

CIDE DICTIONARY

crotch, n. [Cf. Crotchet, Crutch.].

•  The angle formed by the parting of two legs or branches; a fork; the point where a trunk divides; as, the crotch of a tree.  [1913 Webster]
•  A stanchion or post of wood or iron, with two arms for supporting a boom, spare yards, etc.; -- called also crane and crutch.  Totten.  [1913 Webster]
•  In the three-ball carom game, a small space at each corner of the table. See Crotched, below.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

crotch, v. t. 

•  To provide with a crotch; to give the form of a crotch to; as, to crotch the ends of ropes in splicing or tying knots.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
•  To notch (a log) on opposite sides to provide a grip for the dogs in hauling.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

crotch, n. a place where something forks, esp. the legs of the human body or a garment (cf. CRUTCH).

Etymology

perh. = ME & OF croc(he) hook, formed as CROOK

ROGET THESAURUS

crotch

Angularity

N angularity, angularness, aduncity, angle, cusp, bend, fold, notch, fork, bifurcation, elbow, knee, knuckle, ankle, groin, crotch, crutch, crane, fluke, scythe, sickle, zigzag, kimbo, akimbo, corner, nook, recess, niche, oriel, coign, right angle, obliquity, angle of 45 degrees, miter, acute angle, obtuse angle, salient angle, reentering angle, spherical angle, angular measurement, angular elevation, angular distance, angular velocity, trigonometry, goniometry, altimetry, clinometer, graphometer, goniometer, theodolite, sextant, quadrant, dichotomy, triangle, trigon, wedge, rectangle, square, lozenge, diamond, rhomb, rhombus, quadrangle, quadrilateral, parallelogram, quadrature, polygon, pentagon, hexagon, heptagon, octagon, oxygon, decagon, pyramid, cone, Platonic bodies, cube, rhomboid, tetrahedron, pentahedron, hexahedron, octahedron, dodecahedron, icosahedron, eicosahedron, prism, pyramid, parallelopiped, curb roof, gambrel roof, mansard roof, angular, bent, crooked, aduncous, uncinated, aquiline, jagged, serrated, falciform, falcated, furcated, forked, bifurcate, zigzag, furcular, hooked, dovetailed, knock kneed, crinkled, akimbo, kimbo, geniculated, oblique, fusiform, wedge-shaped, cuneiform, cuneate, multangular, oxygonal, triangular, trigonal, trilateral, quadrangular, quadrilateral, foursquare, rectangular, square, multilateral, polygonal, cubical, rhomboid, rhomboidal, pyramidal.