A craw is a pouch in a bird's throat where food gets stored before moving to the stomach for digestion. Think of it like a waiting room for food. When a robin pulls up a worm, the worm goes into the craw first, where it might sit for a while before continuing its journey through the bird's digestive system. The craw lets birds eat quickly when food is available, then digest it later when they're safe from predators.

You'll often hear this word in the expression “sticks in my craw,” which means something bothers you or feels wrong in a way you can't ignore. If your friend takes credit for your idea, that might stick in your craw. The phrase comes from the idea of the uncomfortable feeling a bird would have if something got lodged in its craw and wouldn't go down. When something sticks in your craw, it nags at you in the same way.

The word crop means the same thing as craw and is more commonly used by farmers and scientists, but craw is the more traditional word you'll find in stories and everyday expressions.