catch a crab

verb

To strike the blade of the oar against the water when moving the oar back between power strokes.

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Meanings

verbcatch a crab (third-person singular simple present catches a crab, present participle catching a crab, simple past and past participle caught a crab)

present singular third person catches a crab · participle present catching a crab · participle past caught a crab · past caught a crab

  1. hobbiesTo strike the blade of the oar against the water when moving the oar back between power strokes.

    I blast off the first few strokes with all the anger and frustration I feel towards Rachel. It works against me. I catch a crab and totally lose it. The boat swings sideways and we have to easy oar or risk slamming into the bank.

    2014, Pip Harry, Head of the River, page 82

Translations

Māori urupā
  • urupāTranslations
Cite this entry
APA

catch a crab. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/catch%20a%20crab

MLA

“catch a crab.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/catch%20a%20crab. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “catch a crab,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/catch%20a%20crab.

Source: catch a crab on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.