cranny

Meanings

Noun

• A small, narrow opening, fissure, crevice, or chink, as in a wall, or other substance.
• A tool for forming the necks of bottles, etc.

Verb

• To break into, or become full of, crannies.
• To haunt or enter by crannies.

Adjective

• quick; giddy; thoughtless

Origin

• From Middle English crany, crani, apparently a diminutive of *cran (+ -y), from Old French cran, cren, a derivative of crener, from Medieval Latin crenō ("split"), from Vulgar Latin ("split, break"), of obscure origin.
• Despite a spurious use in Pliny, connection to Latin crēna is doubtful. Instead, probably of Germanic or Celtic origin. Compare Old High German chrinna ("notch, groove, crevice"), Alemannic German Krinne ("small crack, channel, groove"), Low German karn ("notch, groove, crevice, cranny"), Old Irish ara-chrinin ("to perish, decay").
• Perhaps for cranky.