1. a groove cut near the end of a barrel stave to hold the head of the barrel
Usage: coopering; woodworking

Examples

• The cooper carefully cut the croze to ensure the barrel head would fit securely.
• Each stave must have a properly sized croze for the barrel to hold liquid.
• The croze was too shallow, causing the barrel head to sit loosely.
• Traditional barrel-making requires precise measurement of the croze depth.
• He used a specialized tool called a croze plane to cut the groove.