to catch a crab
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
A rowing phrase used when the oarsman fails to catch the water with the oar. He is then struck by the handle of the oar as it is caught in the water and rises.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “to catch a crab” mean?
A rowing phrase used when the oarsman fails to catch the water with the oar. He is then struck by the handle of the oar as it is caught in the water and rises.
Is “to catch a crab” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.