A Dictionary of Non-Scientific Names of Freshwater Crayfishes ...

NUMBER 38 23
rural sections of the United States, notwithstanding the
belief of many who propound that our 'crawfish' are
known elsewhere by the "correct name of crayfish."
Crawfish has long been credited as correct in scientific
writing and not only occurs almost as frequently as
crayfish, but was used as a common name by Say
(1817, ["craw-fish," pp. 168-169, q.v.]) many years
earlier than crayfish by Huxley (1884 [1880, passim]).
The European word crayfish is used by teachers of
zoology probably because of Huxley's classic contribution;
however, crawfish is still the usual term applied to
fresh-water crustaceans of the genus Cambarus in the
U.S...."
See Fiennes under crawffish and craw fish. See
also crayfish, ecrevisse and shrimp.
crawfish Verb (slang, sense 1), = "to back out."
"But no sooner did they see the old British Lion rising
up.. than they crawfished back to 49 [degrees]." [U.S.:
United States Congress, possibly first recorded use of
crawfish as a verb] Charles E. Stuart of Michigan, The
Congressional Globe, 1848:277; "I crawfished as fast
as I could about two yards" [U.S., midwest] Twain,
1884:103; [U.S.: southeastern Missouri] Crumb, D.S.
1903:310; "To withdraw unreservedly from an untenable
position" [New Zealand soldiers in WW II] Partridge,
1950:189.
See camaron reculador, crawdad (verb, sense 1),
craw-fish (verb), crawfish policy, crayfish (verb),
gambero (verb), hsiang lagu I yang hou t'ui, hsiang
lagu I yang sa so, kajae kdrum, marcher comme les
ecrevisse, and marcher en ecrevisse.
crawfish Verb (slang, sense 2), = "to crawl on one's
stomach." [U.S.] Berrey and van den Bark, 1942
(1947):62.
crawfish Verb (slang, sense 3), = "a horse that
pitches (or bucks) backwards." [U.S.: western]
Adams, 1968, page 82; Berrey and van den Bark, 1942
(1947):836.
crawfish Verb (slang, sense 4), = "tobe obsequious."
[U.S.] Berrey and van den Bark, 1942 (1947):308.
See also crawdad (verb, sense 2).
crawfish Verb (slang, sense 5), = "to act in an
indecisive or equivocating manner." [U.S.] Novak,
1993:A27. "Crawfishing on NAFTA," the headline of
an article describing President William Clinton's alleged
attitude toward the North American Free Trade Agreement.
See crawfish (verb, sense 1) and hsiang lagu I
yang pien chi eh.
Crawfish-band Rough translation of "Red Crawfish
[People]." Hodge, 1907, vol. 1:232, citing Catlin,
1860:589. See Shaktci Homma.
Crawfish Branch Place names, streams. [U.S.:
Kentucky, Clay Co.] Abate, 1991(4):421; [U.S.: Oregon;
Douglas Co.] Abate, 1991(9):524; [U.S.: Tennessee,
Blount Co. and Lawrence Co.] Abate, 1991(4):
901.
Crawfish Creek Place names, streams. [U.S.:
Alabama, De Kalb Co.] Abate, 1991(4):61; [U.S.:
Georgia; Carroll Co. and Walker Co.] Abate, 1991
(3): 187; [U.S.: Illinois; Wabash Co.] Abate,
1991(6):27; [U.S.: Oregon; Grant Co. and Lane Co.]
Abate, 1991(9):524; [U.S.: Tennessee; Lawrence Co.]
Abate, 1991(4):901; [U.S.: Texas; Crosby Co.]
Abate, 1991(5):442; [U.S.: Wyoming; Teton Co.]
Abate, 1991(8):668.
Crawfish Draw Place name, valley. [U.S.: Texas;
Floyd Co.] Abate, 1991(5):442.
Crawfish Gulch Place name, valley. [U.S.: California;
Siskiyou Co.] Abate, 1991(9): 196.
Crawfish Hollow Place name, valley. [U.S.: Missouri;
Benton Co.] Abate, 1991(7): 192.
Crawfish Lake Place names, lakes. [U.S.: Oregon,
Grant Co. and Lane Co.] Abate, 1991(9):524; [U.S.:
Washington, Okanongon Co.] Abate, 1991(9):708.
crawfish land Low, watersoaked ground. CAMBA­
RIDAE [U.S.: northwest Arkansas] Carr, 1906:132.
Crawfish Meadow Place name, meadow.
Oregon; Grant Co.] Abate, 1991(9):524.
[U.S.:
crawfish policy Disparaging term used by Jefferson
Davis referring to the practices of Beauregard and J.
Johnston in the 1861-62 U.S. Civil War campaigns.
[U.S.] Davis, 1991:459, line 23. See camaron
reculador, crawdad (verb, sense 1), crayfish (verb),
gambero (verb), hsiang lagu I yang hou t'ui, marcher
comme les ecrevisse, and marcher en ecrevisse.