Brewer's: Crank

An Abram man (q.v.). So called from the German krank (sickly), whence cranky, “idiotic, foolish, full of whims,” and cranks (simulated sickness). These beggars were called cranks because they pretended madness and sickness to excite compassion.

Related Content Allusions Foreign Words and Phrases Latin and Greek Word Elements Names: Their Origins and Meanings Old Testament Names Mythology Ancient Greek Literature & Mythology The Bible (King James version) The Koran (translation by J. M. Rodwell) Shakespeare's Plays Tales from Shakespeare (Charles and Mary Lamb) Frequently Misspelled Words Frequently Mispronounced Words Easily Confused Words Writing & Language