Dictionary

cropper en · NOUN · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• (US) audio

Etymology

See come a cropper.

Meanings

1. (normally confined to the expression come a cropper) A fall, a tumble; a decided failure.
   • You're riding for a fall, Healey, you know that? There are hedges and ditches ahead and you are on course for an almighty cropper. 1991 September, Stephen Fry, chapter 1, in The Liar, London: Heinemann, →ISBN, section II, page 20:
   • But to myself I thought: ‘Considering that for eight whole years I sat on the front bench as top of the class while he drifted about somewhere in the middle, he can hardly fail to nourish a wish, left over from his schooldays, that some day or other I may come a complete cropper.’ 1900, Sigmund Freud, “The Interpretation of Dreams”, in James Strachey, transl., Avon Books, page: 185:

Forms

Deriveds

go a cropper · come a cropper

cropper en · NOUN · etymology 2

Pronunciation

• (US) audio

Etymology

From crop + -er, in reference to a bird's crop.

Meanings

1. A breed of domestic pigeon with large crop.

Forms

cropper en · NOUN · etymology 3

Pronunciation

• (US) audio

Etymology

From crop + -er (occupational suffix) or + -er (relational suffix), in reference to agricultural crops.

Meanings

1. A person who nurtures and gathers a crop.
2. A variety of plant producing a good harvest.
   • The mango tree cannot be regarded as a reliable cropper. 1901 July 5, “Coast Fruit”, in The Agricultural Journal and Mining Record, volume 4, number 9, page 284:

Forms

Deriveds

heathcropper

cropper en · NOUN · etymology 4

Pronunciation

• (US) audio

Etymology

From crop + -er, from the verb.

Meanings

1. A machine for cropping, as for shearing off bolts or rod iron, or for facing cloth.

Forms

Deriveds

bolt cropper