Stuck in my Craw

Posted by ESC on June 20, 2003

In Reply to: Stuck in my Craw posted by Saxon on June 20, 2003

: What does it mean to have something "stuck in a craw?" And where does the expression come from? Does it have anything to do with crawdads, or vice versa? Thank you, Sax

I'm 99 percent sure it has to do with a bird's craw (meaning No.1 below). And I am guessing that it has to do with an irritated person clearing his/her throat. "You got something stuck in your craw? Go ahead and speak your mind."

From Merriam-Webster online:
www.merriam-webster.com/ cgi-bin/dictionary

Main Entry: craw
Pronunciation: 'kro
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English crawe, from (assumed) Old English cræga; perhaps akin to Latin vorare to devour -- more at VORACIOUS
Date: 14th century
1 : the crop of a bird or insect
2 : the stomach especially of a lower animal

stick in one's craw : to irritate, nag at, or obsess a person