WordGarden.iocruse
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /krˈuːs/
US
- /ˈkruz/
Meanings
Noun
a small jar or vessel for liquids such as oil or water
Beyond the definition
Imagine an old-fashioned kitchen, maybe in a storybook cottage. A cruse isn't a fancy vase or a modern water bottle; it's a humble jug, usually made of clay, used to hold liquids—often oil or water (and sometimes honey). Think of it as a small, simple container for something essential. In older times, these vessels were also used in religious settings for holding special oils. You might read about a traveler carrying a cruse on a long journey, or see one painted in a scene from long ago. It brings to mind a modest but important supply, kept close at hand.
The word is old, and while you won't find many people using a cruse in a modern kitchen, you will still meet it in the Bible, poetry, and historical stories, where it adds a sense of a simpler time.
A cruse is a small pot or jug—often made of earthenware—used in earlier times for holding liquids, most often oil or water (and sometimes holy water). It is not just any container; a cruse often suggests age, simplicity, and (in some contexts) religious use. Unlike ornate decanters, a cruse is often plain and practical, reflecting its everyday purpose.
Historically, cruses were common in daily life and sometimes appear in art as part of home scenes or sacred rituals. They were often made from local clay, which gave them a rough, handmade look. A cruse might have been used for anointing, for topping up oil lamps, or for carrying a small but necessary supply of water for a hermit or traveler.
The term is especially familiar from the Bible, in stories that mention a "cruse of oil"—most famously the account of Elijah and the widow, where the oil supply does not run out. Because of this, the word has also taken on a metaphorical life. While a cruse is a small, limited container in a literal sense, the phrase "the widow's cruse" can point to a resource that, though it seems small, keeps lasting.
In contemporary English, you will primarily encounter the word in historical contexts or poetic descriptions. Whether used to describe a physical object from a museum or a literary metaphor for a humble yet sufficient supply, cruse evokes images of precious resources stored in modest, time-worn vessels.
Examples
- 1
Old container
On the shelf stood a clay cruse filled with olive oil.
- 2
Water carrying
She carried water back from the well in a cruse balanced against her hip.
- 3
Old story
In the old story, the widow's cruse of oil never ran dry.
- Usage
cruse of oil is an old or literary phrase
See also
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- crusenoun