Croze and crows are two words that are pronounced in the same way but have different spellings and different meanings. They are homophones. We will examine the definitions of the words croze and crows, where these words came from and some examples of their use in sentences.
A croze is a groove at the end of a barrel or cask into which the head of the barrel or cask is fitted. The tool that is used for cutting this groove is also called a croze. Barrels have been used as containers for thousands of years, they consist of wood that is cut into slats or staves, held together by metal hoops. While in times past everything from flour to nails was shipped in barrels, today most barrels are used to hold alcoholic beverages. The word croze is rarely seen outside of discussions about barrel making. The word croze is believed to have been derived from the French word creuse, which means hollow.
Crows is the plural form of the word crow, a medium-sized, usually black bird of the Corvus family that is found around the world. Crows are related to ravens and rooks. The crow is very intelligent and has been known to use tools and even bring offerings to favored humans. The word crow is derived from the Old English word crawe, which is a word that imitates the call of the crow.
Examples
That’s why he created The Cooper’s Croze, an 89-proof spirit that celebrates the fine art of whiskey barrel making. (Maxim Magazine)
If you’ve been in Ithaca any evening this winter, you’ve likely heard the eerie sound of thousands of crows overhead filling the winter sky as they head to their roost for the night in the south of the city. (The Ithaca Voice)
Enjoyed reading about these homophones? Check out some others we covered: