cric

Meaning

jack (device for raising and supporting a heavy object)

Gender

♂️ Masculine

Pronounced as (IPA)

/kʁik/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle French cric, from Middle High German kriec (“jack, winch”). Of uncertain further origin, but supposed to be from the adjective kriege (“recalcitrant”), which is related with kriec (“war”). The last noun can hardly be the direct origin, although the word first occurs mostly in military context. Its onomatopoeic nature is probably accidental, but may have facilitated the borrowing into French.