crate
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
A vehicle (car, aircraft, spacecraft, etc.) seen as unreliable.
Register: derogatory, slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
They shook the head of the unconscious pilot and when the latter opened his eyes, blinking wildly, the other members of the family lifted up the tail of the overturned crate sufficiently high enough to enable the dazed pilot, after releasing his belt, to fall out of the cockpit head first and diseng
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “crate” mean?
A vehicle (car, aircraft, spacecraft, etc.) seen as unreliable.
Is “crate” formal or informal?
crate is generally derogatory, slang.