cruse

name

1. A surname.
2. An unincorporated community in Clay County, Illinois, United States.

noun

Etymology: From Middle English crouse, from Old English crūse (“jar, cruse”), from Proto-West Germanic *krūsā, from Proto-Germanic *krūsǭ, *krūsaz (“jar, pot, collar, jug”). Cognate with German Krause (“pot with a lid”), Icelandic krús (“jar, jug”). Merged with Middle English croo (“pot, pitcher”), from Old English crōg (“crock, pitcher, vessel”). More at crock.

1. A small jar used to hold liquid, such as oil or water.

   “With a thought I tooke for Maudline & a cruse of cockle pottage. with a thing thus tall, skie blesse you all: I befell into this dotage.”

   “He had dipped ungenerously into a generous mother’s purse; basely and recklessly spilt her little cruse.”

2. An oil lamp; a crusy.