crow, verb transitive and intransitive
- Origin:
- Afrikaans, DutchShow more Englished pronunciation-spelling of dialectal Afrikaans graau, grau, grou from grawe (Dutch graven); Pettman’s theory (see quotation 1913) seems unlikely.
obs.
To dig (a hole, the ground, or something buried under the ground). Also combination crow-water, see quotation 1853.
1853 F. Galton Narr. of Explorer in Tropical S. Afr. 79This method of digging is called in Dutch patois ‘crowing’ the ground; thus, ‘crow-water’, means water that you have to crow for, and not an open well, or spring.
1913 C. Pettman Africanderisms 133Crow, To, (Hot. gora, to dig.) A corruption of the Hottentot word. It refers to the mode of digging holes employed by the Damaras. They take a pointed stick in their right hand, pierce the ground with it, clearing away the broken soil with their left hand, and having to ‘crow’ holes for house-building, for water, roots, etc., in this primitive fashion, they became very expert at it.
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