C

[cramp]

See: [WRITER'S CRAMP].

[cramp one's style]  {v. phr.},  {informal}

To limit your natural freedom; prevent your usual behavior; limit your actions or talk.

He cramped his style a good deal when he lost his money.

[crash dive]  {n.}

A sudden dive made by a submarine to escape an enemy; a dive made to get deep under water as quickly as possible.

The captain of the submarine told his crew to prepare for a crash dive when he saw the enemy battleship approaching.  […]

[crash-dive]  {v.}

1. To dive deep underwater in a submarine as quickly as possible.

We shall crash-dive if we see enemy planes coming.

2. To dive into (something) in an airplane.

* /When the plane's motor was hit by the guns of the enemy  […]

[crash the gate]  {v. phr.},  {slang}

To enter without a ticket or without paying; attend without an invitation or permission.

Bob got into the circus without paying. He crashed the gate.

* /Three boys tried to crash the gate at our party but we  […]

[craw]

See: [STICK IN ONE'S CRAW].

[crawl up]

See: [RIDE UP].

[crazy] or [mad] or [nuts about]  {adj. phr.},  {informal}

Excessively fond of; infatuated with.

[cream]

See: [VANISHING CREAM].

[cream of the crop]  {n. phr.}

The best of a group; the top choice.

May Queen candidates were lovely, but Betsy and Nancy were the cream of the crop.

* /The students had drawn many good pictures and the teacher chose the cream of the crop to hang  […]