crocodile

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   Any of the predatory amphibious reptiles of the family Crocodylidae; (loosely) a crocodilian, any species of the order Crocodilia, which also includes the alligators, caimans and gavials.

   The Roman poet Horace states that the excrement of the crocodile has aphrodisiac virtues.

2. 2
   noun

   A long line or procession of people (especially children) walking together.

   Sometimes the kids from the slap-up boys' schools in Eastbourne used to be led round in crocodiles to hand out fags and peppermint creams to the 'wounded Tommies', as they called us.

3. 3
   noun

   A fallacious dilemma, mythically supposed to have been first used by a crocodile.

   We have seen syllogisms, crocodiles, enthymemas, sorites, &c. explained and tried upon a boy of nine or ten years old in playful conversation[…]

4. 4
   noun

   large voracious aquatic reptile having a long snout with massive jaws and sharp teeth and a body covered with bony plates

5. 5
   noun

   greedy or corrupt person (especially a politician or any public official)

6. 6
   verb

   To speak another language than Esperanto at an Esperanto-language gathering.

Etymology

From Middle English cocodrill, cokadrill, cokedril, from Old French cocodril (modern French crocodile), from Medieval Latin cocodrillus, from Latin crocodilus, from Ancient Greek κροκόδειλος (krokódeilos). The word was later refashioned after the Latin and Greek forms. Doublet of krokodil.