American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth
Edition - n. A bowl-shaped depression at the mouth of a volcano
or geyser. - n. A bowl-shaped depression in a surface made by an
explosion or the impact of a body, such as a meteoroid. - n. A
pit; a hollow. - n. Variant of krater. - v. To make craters in:
"The missiles did not . . . crater the airfield” ( Tom Clancy).
- v. To form a crater or craters. - v. Slang To fall and crash
violently from a great height. - v. Slang To fail utterly:
"talked about how tough times were in Texas since the oil
business cratered” ( Stephen Coonts). Century Dictionary and
Cyclopedia - n. pl. crateres (krā˙-tē′ rēz). In classical
antiquity, a large vessel or vase in which water was mixed with
wine according to accepted formulas, and from which it was
dipped out and served to the guests in the smaller pouring-
vessels (oinochoe). The typical form of the crater is open and
bell-like, with a foot, and a small handle placed very low on
either side. Many beautiful Greek ex