cress

From Middle English cresse, crasse, from Old English cressa, cærse (“cress”), from Proto-West Germanic *krassjō, from Proto-Germanic *krasjô (“cress”). Cognate with West Frisian kers (“cress”), Dutch kers (“cress”), German Kresse (“cress”), Danish karse (“cress”), Swedish krasse (“cress”), Icelandic krassi (“cress”).

• IPA^(key): /kɹɛs/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛs

cress (countable and uncountable, plural cresses)

1. (plants) A plant of various species, chiefly cruciferous. The leaves have a moderately pungent taste, and are used as a salad and antiscorbutic.

cress (plural cresses)

1. Archaic form of kris.

Akin to Italian crescere, from Latin.

cress

1. to grow

• criss

From Middle English creiz, from Old French crois, from Latin crux, crucem.

• IPA^(key): /kɾɛs/, /kɾɪs/

cress

1. crossroad
   • 1867, “JAMEEN QOUGEELY EE-PEALTHE”, in SONGS, ETC. IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, page 110, lines 7-8:

     'choo'd drieve aam aul awye to Kie o' Cress Farnogue, an maake aam cry, 'Rotheda Palloake !' "

     I would drive them all away to the quay of Cross Farnogue, and make them cry, 'Rotten Palluck !' "

cress

1. cross
   • 1867, “CASTEALE CUDDE'S LAMENTATION”, in SONGS, ETC. IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, number 3, page 104:

     'Cham afear'd ich mosth cress a Shanaan,

     I am afraid I must cross the Shannon,

• Jacob Poole (d. 1827) (before 1828) William Barnes, editor, A Glossary, With some Pieces of Verse, of the old Dialect of the English Colony in the Baronies of Forth and Bargy, County of Wexford, Ireland, London: J. Russell Smith, published 1867, page 32