Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A container, such as a slatted wooden case, used for storing or shipping.
  • noun A container, usually of plastic, metal, or wood, used to house or transport an animal.
  • noun Slang An old rickety vehicle, especially a decrepit automobile or aircraft.
  • transitive verb To pack into a container, such as a slatted wooden case.
  • transitive verb To put (an animal) into a crate.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A kind of basket or hamper of wickerwork, used for the transportation of china, glass, crockery, and similar wares; hence, any openwork casing, as a box made of slats used for packing or transporting commodities, as peaches.
  • noun The amount held by such a casing.
  • noun In glass manufacturing, a lot of twelve tables or disks of crown-glass. See table, 1 .
  • To put or pack in a crate for transportation: as, to crate fruit, furniture, etc.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun A large basket or hamper of wickerwork, used for the transportation of china, crockery, and similar wares.
  • noun A box or case whose sides are of wooden slats with interspaces, -- used especially for transporting fruit.
  • transitive verb To pack in a crate or case for transportation.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A large open box or basket, used especially to transport fragile goods.
  • verb To put into a crate.
  • verb To keep in a crate.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun the quantity contained in a crate
  • noun a rugged box (usually made of wood); used for shipping
  • verb put into a crate; as for protection

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Latin crātis, wickerwork.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Dutch krat ("crate, large box, basket"), from Middle Dutch cratte ("basketware, mold"), from Old Dutch *kratta, *kratto (“basket”), from Proto-Germanic *kratjô, *krattijô (“basket”), from Proto-Indo-European *gred-, *gre(n)t- (“plaiting, wicker, basket, cradle”), from Proto-Indo-European *ger- (“to bind, twist, wind”). Cognate with West Frisian kret ("wheelbarrow"), German Krätze ("basket"), Old English cræt, ceart ("cart, wagon, chariot"), Old Norse kartr ("wagon"). More at cart.

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Examples

  • The story: A talented but homeless dancer living in a packing crate is lifted up to high social status by a well-dressed woman but in a tragic twist she turns out to be easy to tip over, and he must give up dancing for very careful, slow paced walking.

    'Dancing with the Stars': Story telling night Lisa de Moraes 2010

  • A milk crate is a good choice for this task because it allows air flow around the items.

    Save Water-Damaged Books, Docs By Putting Them In The Freezer | Lifehacker Australia 2010

  • The one making the most noise is the Honda Element EX Dog Friendly, which includes a soft-sided crate in the rear of a vehicle, a rear fan for keeping your pup cool, a ramp (so that little yappers can access the crate from the ground), a spill resistant water bowl, and a floor that can literally be hosed off.

    Is This the Ultimate Dog Vehicle? 2010

  • The one making the most noise is the Honda Element EX Dog Friendly, which includes a soft-sided crate in the rear of a vehicle, a rear fan for keeping your pup cool, a ramp (so that little yappers can access the crate from the ground), a spill resistant water bowl, and a floor that can literally be hosed off.

    Uncategorized Blog Posts 2010

  • I like the idea of browsing them every once in a while; and a crate is not really the most suitable way to browse them without damaging them.

    whee! melted_snowball 2008

  • The Professor ceased his tidying, and strode to the corner of the room, hefting a small wooden shipping crate from a half full pallet of the same.

    365 tomorrows » 2007 » August : A New Free Flash Fiction SciFi Story Every Day 2007

  • Anyway my WW is of just an old discarded milk-crate from a logging operation.

    Wordless Wednesday – #1 2007

  • The crate is equipped with shielding materials to reduce the radiation signature.

    Slaughterhouse SW1 amuchmoreexotic 2007

  • It took two of us, both Jean-Marc and me, to lift a single crate from the back of the truck.

    French Word-A-Day: 2006

  • It took two of us, both Jean-Marc and me, to lift a single crate from the back of the truck.

    cachot - French Word-A-Day 2006

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