crook

5 8.4

A long staff with a hooked end used by shepherds

: cayado

The crook of the cane, when held vertically, was generally at or slightly above the participants' sternum.
a shepherd's crook

Examples

I told you, Gran, I'd get him here by hook or by crook.

Hook (1991)
The crook of her elbow held the chain lightly as she soared skyward.

Fiction book (2002)
In this study, only the shepherd's crook attachment was used.

Academic text (1998)
The Bible ought to be a shepherd's crook to lead, not a club to batter.

Blog text (26)
Two of them carried Springfield rifles in the crooks of their left arms.

Fiction book (1997)
The pack represents the hump on their backs in rock art motifs, and the crook staff is a walking stick.

Academic text (2004)
Some had shepherd's crooks or magic wands and stick-on angel wings.

Fiction book (1995)
I use a Richards Teflon stainless steel shepherd's crook prosthesis.

Academic text (1995)
The shakers were brightly painted antique porcelain figures of a rosy-cheeked shepherd and shepherdess, each holding a crook.

Fiction book (1997)
The shepherd skillfully used his crook to guide the sheep back to the pen.

vscrook

1 7.3

A long stick with a hooked end used to guide and catch sheep

is a similar staff used generally rather than a named traditional form

pedum

vscrook

9.9

A long stick with a curved end that shepherds use to guide sheep

is the modern general tool for managing sheep rather than an ancient form

1 8.1

Using any way to get something done no matter what it takes

two-bit crook

1 7.9

A person who steals or tricks people in small, unimportant ways

shepherd's crook

1 7.3

A long stick with a hooked end used to guide and catch sheep

crook

5 8.4

staff

105 4.5

stick

686 1.0

pole

318 1.0

crook singular

crooks plural

Crook comes from the old Norse krókr meaning 'hook', and a shepherd's crook is a long staff with a hooked end used to catch and guide sheep.