Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(a) a clergyman [his black clothes].

1843		R. Carlton New Purchase II 172: We thought you were an ill-boding crow!
1937–84		Partridge DSUE (1984) 273/1: late C.18–20.
1967		Oz 7 22/2: The numbers of heavens are infinite for each man. The crows [i.e. priests] will die.

(b) a derog. term for a black person [underpinned by Jim Crow n.].

1823		J.F. Cooper Pioneers (1827) II 111: Kirby turned fiercely to the black and said — ‘Shut your oven, you crow’.
1924		Amer. Mercury Feb. 130/1: I wish I was black like you [...] No you don’t. Dey’d call you Crow, den — or Chocolate — or Smoke [DA].
1928		R. Fisher Walls Of Jericho 297: Synonyms of Negro [...] : Cloud, crow, darky, dinge.
1944		Mencken ‘Designations for Colored Folk’ in AS XIX:3 174: Crow is traced to 1823.
1978		W. Donaldson Balloons in Black Bag 90: If the Major calls him darky, sooty, Gunga Din, Sambo, coon, jig, moke, dinge, shine, crow, smoke, [...] skunk or Zulu to his face, we’re going to be short of a valuable new comedy act.
1983		(con. 1730s) I.L. Allen Lang. of Ethnic Conflict 46: Color Allusions, Other than ‘Black’ and ‘Negro’: crow [1730s].
1983		C. Knight We Shall Not Die 144: By the way, Mambi [...] mi never even see yuh again from dat long time to t’ank yuh for handing dat ol’ crow, Robinson, what was due to him.
1989		H. Rawson Dict. of Invective (1991) 104: There is the crow that is a black person.

(c) (Aus.) a South Australian [the badge of the state features a bird that resembles a crow but note crow-eater ].

1906		Sun. Times (Perth) 18 Mar. 4/8: The Crow-devouring State has evolved something new and distinctive in the way of Bhodes scholars.
1963		R. McGregor-Hastie Compleat Migrant 106: Crow: a South Australian (from the badge of the State).
1989		M. Walker How to Kiss a Crocodile 32: ‘Wide World of Sports’ was doing a profile of the hard-nosed croweater who hates Victorians with a rare passion.
2022		D. Andrew Aussie Sl. 10: Crow Eaters Residents of South Australia.

(a) that member of a crooked dice or card-game who poses as a stranger, but affirms the supposed honesty of those who run the game.

1823

‘Jon Bee’ Dict. of the Turf, the Ring, the Chase, etc. 60: Crows are those about gambling-houses, who crow up the honour of others, or the fairness of the play, and will attest the truth of any lie.

(b) a lookout, e.g. for a thief, a street bookmaker [? the image of crows perched on a fence].

1839		H. Brandon Dict. of the Flash or Cant Lang. 165/2: Another who is called a crow, watches.
1859		Hotten Dict. of Modern Sl. etc. 27: Crow one who watches whilst another commits a theft, a confederate in a robbery. The CROW looks to see that the way is clear, whilst the sneak, his partner, commits the depredation.
1863		T. Taylor Ticket-Of-Leave Man IV ii: Moss, you be crow — two whistles if the coast ain’t clear.
1874		M. Clarke Term of His Natural Life (1897) 37: A young man, who had the reputation of being the smartest ‘crow’ in London.
1882		Sydney Sl. Dict. (2 edn) 3: Crow - One who watches while another commits a theft.
1886		A. Pinkerton Thirty Years a Detective 60: When they are ready to come out, they generally put a small piece of white paper under the front door, so as to inform the ‘crow’ – as the outside watcher is called – that they have finished their work [...] The ‘crow’ is constantly on the alert.
1895		Crowe Aus. Sl. Dict. 21: Crow, the sentinel who watches during the robbery.
1926		Advertiser (Adelaide) 7 May 13: He described men who kept watch for the bookmakers against the police as ‘crows’.
1937		E. Raymond Marsh 233: As an outside man, or ‘crow,’ one of his first tasks was to prospect all night outside [...] a large house in North Kensington.
1945		Baker Aus. Lang. 45: English cant has the use of crow for a sentinel who keeps guard during a robbery.
1959		J. Gosling Ghost Squad 150: A ‘crow’ (look-out man) had been posted on every corner. Villainy was afoot.

(c) (Aus. und.) a petty thief.

1882

Sydney Sl. Dict. (2 edn) 3: Crow, or Sneak - Petty house thief.

(d) (UK tramp) a man employed by a gang of street singers to protect their territory.

1936

W.A. Gape Half a Million Tramps 195: If you are not willing to leave when told to, a signal is given and other ‘crows’ come and, if necessary, use physical force.

(e) a lookout in a game of three-card monte.

1977		D. Powis Signs of Crime 180: Crows Lookout men in the three-card trick.
1989		J. Morton Lowspeak.

(a) (US) a young woman, esp. a sweetheart.

1866		Night Side of N.Y. 98: ‘How came you here?’ said the officer to the man. ‘Coming home —’ ‘And this crow picked you up?’ ‘Yes.’.
1942		N. Algren Never Come Morning (1988) 76: He tried to figure whether she would put a finger on Bruno B. [...] She was pale as a ghost, but he could tell all right. Not this crow.
1945		West Australian (Perth) 13 Oct. 3/2: [A]s further alternatives to ‘popsy’ he may consider ‘crow’ and ‘bag’).
1953		T.A.G. Hungerford Riverslake 122: I’m going over to see my crow.

(b) (also crow moll) an unattractive (old) woman; note earlier old crow under old adj.

1895		Cocburg Leader (Vic.) 23 Nov. 4/2: The crows say Stewart is a fool to go with Fanny C. She is the biggest flirt in Coburg.
1925		‘Henry Handel Richardson’ Way Home (1971) 66: Between ourselves it makes me feel a proper old crow .
1931		D. Runyon ‘The Brain Goes Home’ in Runyon on Broadway (1954) 218: The red-headed raggedy doll [...] is nothing but a crow as far as looks are concerned.
1932		(con. 1910s) J.T. Farrell Young Lonigan in Studs Lonigan (1936) 12: His wife was an old crow.
1936		‘Hectic Harlem’ in N.Y. Amsterdam News 8 Feb. sect. 2: CROW MOLL. – An unattractive woman.
1949		L. Glassop Lucky Palmer 60: She’s no crow, he thought, A real good-looking filly, this one.
1959		A. Wesker Roots I i: Ole crows. They don’ wan’ nothin’ less than a death to wake them up.
1979		C. Dexter Service of all the Dead (1980) 116: ‘Is that you, Ruthie dear?’ Who else, you silly old crow?

(c) (US) an attractive woman.

1921		O.O. McIntyre Bits of New York Life 24 Feb. [synd. col.] Wonder where the crows that used to go to the Knickerbocker for lunch go now!
1942		N. Algren Never Come Morning (1988) 40: Ol’ Fireball gets this crow t’ come up ’n look at his books.
1954		(con. 1940s) T.A.G. Hungerford Sowers of the Wind 1: Remember that blondie crow in the milk-bar.

(d) see chromo n. (4)