A small earthenware container or bottle, typically used for liquids like oil or vinegar.
From Old English and Old Norse origins, related to Germanic and Scandinavian words for jug or pot. The word has been used since medieval times to describe small vessels for household liquids.
The widow's cruse in the Bible became a famous symbol of infinite supply—her tiny oil jug never ran empty—and bakers and cooks still understood this reference for centuries because everyone had little cruses in their kitchens.
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