Ad·ju·tant n.
 1. A helper; an assistant.
 2. Mil. A regimental staff officer, who assists the colonel, or commanding officer of a garrison or regiment, in the details of regimental and garrison duty.
 Adjutant general (a) Mil., the principal staff officer of an army, through whom the commanding general receives communications and issues military orders. In the U. S. army he is brigadier general. (b) Among the Jesuits, one of a select number of fathers, who resided with the general of the order, each of whom had a province or country assigned to his care.
 3. Zool. A species of very large stork (Ciconia argala), a native of India; -- called also the gigantic crane, and by the native name argala. It is noted for its serpent-destroying habits.
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 Crane n.
 1. Zool. A wading bird of the genus Grus, and allied genera, of various species, having a long, straight bill, and long legs and neck.
 Note: ☞ The common European crane is Grus cinerea. The sand-hill crane (Grus Mexicana) and the whooping crane (Grus Americana) are large American species. The Balearic or crowned crane is Balearica pavonina. The name is sometimes erroneously applied to the herons and cormorants.
 2. Any arm which swings about a vertical axis at one end, used for supporting a suspended weight.
 3. A machine for raising and lowering heavy weights, and, while holding them suspended, transporting them through a limited lateral distance. In one form it consists of a projecting arm or jib of timber or iron, a rotating post or base, and the necessary tackle, windlass, etc.; -- so called from a fancied similarity between its arm and the neck of a crane See Illust. of Derrick.
 4. An iron arm with horizontal motion, attached to the side or back of a fireplace, for supporting kettles, etc., over a fire.
 5. A siphon, or bent pipe, for drawing liquors out of a cask.
 6. Naut. A forked post or projecting bracket to support spars, etc., -- generally used in pairs. See Crotch, 2.
 7.  Zool. The American blue heron (Ardea herodias). [Local, U. S.]
 Crane fly Zool., a dipterous insect with long legs, of the genus Tipula.
 Derrick crane. See Derrick.
 Gigantic crane. Zool. See Adjutant, n., 3.
 Traveling crane, Traveler crane, Traversing crane Mach., a crane mounted on wheels; esp., an overhead crane consisting of a crab or other hoisting apparatus traveling on rails or beams fixed overhead, as in a machine shop or foundry.
 Water crane, a kind of hydrant with a long swinging spout, for filling locomotive tenders, water carts, etc., with water.