CROWN

The sovereign power in a monarchy, especially in relation to the pun- ishment of crimes. "Felony is an offense of the crown." Finch, Law, b. 1, c. 16. An ornamental badge of regal power worn on the head by sovereign princes. The word is frequently used when speaking of the sov ereign herself, or the rights, duties, and pre- rogatives belonging to her. Also a silver coin of the value of five shillings. Wharton.

In England, the solicitor to the treasury acts, in state prosecutions, as solicitor for the crown in preparing the prosecution. In Ireland there are officers called "crown solicitors" attached to each circuit, whose duty it is to get up every case for the crown in criminal prosecu- tions. They are paid by salaries. There is no such system in England, where prosecu- tions are conducted by solicitors appointed by the parish, or other persons bound over to prosecute by the magistrates on each com- mittal; but in Scotland the still better plan exists of a crown prosecutor (called the "proc- urator-fiscal," and being a subordinate of the lord-advocate) in every county, who pre- pares every criminal prosecution. Wharton.

That share of lands reserved to the crown at the original distribution of landed property, or which came to it after- wards by forfeiture or otherwise. 1 Bl. Comm. 286; 2 Steph. Comm. 550.

p. p. of Crow. [Obs.]

A wreath or garland, or any ornamental fillet encircling the head, especially as a reward of victory or mark of honorable distinction; hence, anything given on account of, or obtained by, faithful or successful effort; a reward. "An olive branch and laurel crown." Shak. They do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptiblle. 1 Cor. ix. 25. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. Rev. ii. 10. A royal headdress or cap of sovereignty, worn by emperors, kings, princes, etc. The person entitled to wear a regal or imperial crown; the sovereign; -- with the definite article. Parliament may be dissolved by the demise of the crown. Blackstone. Large arrears of pay were due to the civil and military servants of the crown. Macaulay. Imperial or regal power or dominion; sovereignty. There is a power behind the crown greater than the crown itself. Junius. Anything which imparts beauty, splendor, honor, dignity, or finish. The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness. Prov. xvi. 31. A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband. Prov. xvi. 4. Highest state; acme; consummation; perfection. Mutual love, the crown of all our bliss. Milton. The topmost part of anything; the summit. The steepy crown of the bare mountains. Dryden. The topmost part of the head (see Illust. of Bird.); that part of the head from which the hair descends toward the sides and back; also, the head or brain. From toe to crown he'll fill our skin with pinches. Shak. Twenty things which I set down: This done, I twenty more-had in my crown. Bunyan. The part of a hat above the brim. The part of a tooth which projects above the gum; also, the top or grinding surface of a tooth. The vertex or top of an arch; -- applied generally to about one third of the curve, but in a pointed arch to the apex only. Same as Corona. That part of an anchor where the arms are joined to the shank. The rounding, or rounded part, of the deck from a level line. (c) pl. The bights formed by the several turns of a cable. Totten. The upper range of facets in a rose diamond. The dome of a furnace. The area inclosed between two concentric perimeters. A round spot shaved clean on the top of the head, as a mark of the clerical state; the tonsure. A size of writing paper. See under Paper. A coin stamped with the image of a crown; hence,a denomination of money; as, the English crown, a silver coin of the value of five shillings sterling, or a little more than $1.20; the Danish or Norwegian crown, a money of account, etc., worth nearly twenty-seven cents. An ornaments or decoration representing a crown; as, the paper is stamped with a crown. Crown of aberration (Astron.), a spurious circle around the true circle of the sun. -- Crown antler (Zoöl.), the topmost branch or tine of an antler; also, an antler having a cuplike top, with tines springing from the rim. -- Crown bar, one of the bars which support the crown sheet of steam-boiler furnace. -- Crown glass. See under Glass. -- Crown imperial. (Bot.) See in the Vocabulary. -- Crown jewels, the jewels appertaining to the sovereign while wearing the crown. [Eng.] "She pawned and set to sale the crown jewels." Milton. -- Crown land, land belonging to the crown, that is, to the sovereign. -- Crown law, the law which governs criminal prosecutions. [Eng.] -- Crown lawyer, one employed by the crown, as in criminal cases. [Eng.] -- Crown octavo. See under Paper. -- Crown office. See in the Vocabulary. -- Crown paper. See under Paper. -- Crown piece. See in the Vocabulary. -- Crown Prince, the heir apparent to a crown or throne. -- Crown saw. See in the Vocabulary. -- Crown scab (Far.), a cancerous sore formed round the corners of a horse's hoof. -- Crown sheet, the flat plate which forms the top of the furnace or fire box of an internally fired steam boiler. -- Crown shell. (Zoöl.) See Acorn-shell. -- Crown side. See Crown office. -- Crown tax (Eccl. Hist.), a golden crown, or its value, which was required annually from the Jews by the king of Syria, in the time of the Maccabees. 1 Macc. x. 20. -- Crown wheel. See in the Vocabulary. -- Crown work. See in the Vocabulary. -- Pleas of the crown (Engl. law), criminal actions.

To cover, decorate, or invest with a crown; hence, to invest with royal dignity and power. Her who fairest does appear, Crown her queen of all the year. Dryden. Crown him, and say, "Long live our emperor." Shak. To bestow something upon as a mark of honor, dignity, or recompense; to adorn; to dignify. Thou . . . hast crowned him with glory and honor. Ps. viii. 5. To form the topmost or finishing part of; to complete; to consummate; to perfect. Amidst the grove that crowns yon tufted hill. Byron. One day shall crown the alliance. Shak. To crown the whole, came a proposition. Motley. To cause to round upward; to make anything higher at the middle than at the edges, as the face of a machine pulley. To effect a lodgment upon, as upon the crest of the glacis, or the summit of the breach. To crown a knot (Naut.), to lay the ends of the strands over and under each other.

A royal, imperial or princely headdress; a diadem. | A wreath or band for the head, especially one given as reward of victory or a mark of honor. | Any reward of victory or mark of honor. | Imperial or regal power, or those who wield it. | The sovereign (in a monarchy), as head of state. | The state, the government (headed by a monarch). | The police (referring to Crown Victoria police cars). | The top part of something: | The topmost part of the head. | The top part of something: | The topmost part of the head. | During childbirth, the appearance of the baby's head from the mother's vagina. | The top part of something: | The topmost part of the head. | A round spot shaved clean on the top of the head, as a mark of the clerical state; the tonsure. | The top part of something: | The highest part of a hill. | The top part of something: | The top section of a hat, above the brim. | The top part of something: | The raised centre of a road. | The top part of something: | The highest part of an arch. | The top part of something: | The upper range of facets in a rose diamond. | The top part of something: | The dome of a furnace. | The top part of something: | The upper part of certain fruits, as the pineapple or strawberry, that is removed before eating. | The top part of something: | The top of a tree. | A kind of spire or lantern formed by converging flying buttresses. | Splendor; culmination; acme. | Any currency (originally) issued by the crown (regal power) and often bearing a crown (headdress); (translation) various currencies known by similar names in their native languages, such as the korona, koruna, krona, króna, krone. | A former predecimalization British coin worth five shillings. | A coin or note worth five shillings in various countries that are or were in the British Commonwealth, such as Ireland or Jamaica. | The part of a plant where the root and stem meet. | The part of a tooth above the gums. | A prosthetic covering for a tooth. | A knot formed in the end of a rope by tucking in the strands to prevent them from unravelling. | The part of an anchor where the arms and the shank meet. | The rounding, or rounded part, of the deck from a level line. | A standard size of printing paper measuring 20 × 15 inches. | A standard size of writing paper measuring 19 × 15 inches. | A monocyclic ligand having three or more binding sites, capable of holding a guest in a central location. | A rounding or smoothing of the barrel opening. | The area enclosed between two concentric perimeters. | A whole bird with the legs and wings removed to produce a joint of white meat. | A formal hat worn by women to Sunday church services; a church crown. | The knurled knob or dial, on the outside of a watch case, used to wind it or adjust the hands.

past participle of crow

The sovereign of a monarchy; often with reference to that of the Commonwealth realms. | The government of a monarchy; often with reference to one that is a member of the Commonwealth realms. | A Crown attorney.