craps

English

A Pair of Dice

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kɹæps/

• Audio (AU)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -æps

Etymology 1

From Louisiana Creole craps, a corruption of English crabs.

Alternative forms

• crap (attributive)

Noun

craps pl (plural only)

1. (gambling, dice games) A game of gambling, or chance, where the players throw dice to make scores and avoid crap.
   • 1920, Peter B. Kyne, chapter XII, in The Understanding Heart:

     “As an inventor,” Bob Mason suggested, “you're a howling success at shooting craps ! If I were as free of spavins, ringbone, saddle-galls, and splints as you are, I'd have that nanny-goat in here, hog-tie her, flop her and let the boy help himself. […] ”

   • 1994, “Memory Lane (Sittin’ in da Park)”, in Illmatic, performed by Nas:

     Start off the dice-rollin' mats for craps to cee-lo / With side-bets, I roll a deuce, nothin' below

Derived terms

• bank craps
• bastard craps
• crapless craps

 

Etymology 2

Plural of crap.

Noun

craps

1. plural of crap
2. (slang, vulgar) (preceded by the) diarrhea

Etymology 3

Verb form of crap.

Verb

craps

1. third-person singular simple present indicative of crap

Further reading

• craps on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Anagrams

• APCRs, Carps, RSPCA, carps, parcs, pracs, scarp, scrap