crosshead

plural crossheads

1. engineeringA metal beam that connects a piston to a connecting rod in an engine.

   All the Connor characteristics are seen in this locomotive: sharply inclined cylinders let into the side framing, which was slotted to expose the crosshead; […].

   1945 January and February, “Notes and News: An Early Caledonian 2-4-0”, in Railway Magazine, page 47

2. journalismLarge text, like a headline but typically drawn from the article, placed partway through the article to break it up visually.

   Other bits of furniture include [...] the crosshead, a short heading between paragraphs that breaks up a long piece.

   2023 January 31, Elisabeth Ribbans, “The perils of using journalist jargon outside the newsroom”, in The Guardian

   Synonyms: crossheading

3. A screw with a cross-shaped indentation for gripping and turning, as opposed to a flathead.

   The screws were crossheads and the screwdriver was slightly too large for them, so he had to hold it at an angle.

   2015, Graham Masterton, Buried

4. musical notationA note with an x-shaped notehead, indicating a non-tonal sound such as a drumbeat or a rapped syllable.