A stick or rod used to prop open a window, door, or hatch, particularly on ships or in fortifications.
From 'crow' (possibly from Old Norse 'króka' meaning hook or lever) and 'stick' (from Old English 'sticca'). The term reflects the prying or spreading action, like a crow using a tool.
Before modern hinges and props, sailors relied on these simple sticks—it's one of those forgotten words that reveals how much maritime vocabulary has simply vanished as technology improved.
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