crane, v. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

crane v.

[SE crane one’s neck, to stretch the neck to look around + hunting jargon crane, to pull up at a hedge or other obstacle and look over before leaping]

to hesitate or balk before an obstacle.

1863		T. Taylor Ticket-Of-Leave Man Act I: Nobody shall say Bob Brierly craned while he could keep ’t going.
1874		‘Old Calabar’ Won in a Canter I 306: ‘I will give you everything you want, two hunters, three if you wish,’ he recklessly said, he was determined to crane at nothing now.