crabstick

[ krab-stik ]

/ ˈkræbˌstɪk /

a stick, cane, or club made of wood, especially of the crab tree.

an ill-tempered, grouchy person; crosspatch.

Origin of crabstick

First recorded in 1695–1705; crab² + stick¹

crabbing, crabby, crabeater, crabmeat, crabs, crabstick, crabwise, crabwood, crac, crack, crack a book

Crabstick brought her mistress word that Mr. Greystock was in the parlour soon after nine o'clock.

The Eustace Diamonds |Anthony Trollope
Ida and I are good friends—nothing more—when old Crabstick, her uncle, will allow us to talk to one another—which is but seldom.

The Funny Philosophers |George Yellott
Mrs. J. Oh, Mrs. Crabstick, cheer up, just when we've come to such a nice tea-party.

The Cat and Fiddle Book |Lady Florence Bell
And only last winter old Crabstick got a strange notion in his head that he was a dog.

The Funny Philosophers |George Yellott

The rider applied the crabstick more vigorously than before.

Self-control |Mary Brunton

crabstick

/ (ˈkræbˌstɪk) /

a stick, cane, or cudgel made of crab-apple wood

informal a bad-tempered person