crossbuck (KROS-buk) noun

   An X-shaped warning sign at a highway-railroad crossing.

[From cross- + buck, from sawbuck.]

   "The federal investigation could result in an upgrade of warning equipment
   at the crossing, which is marked only by stop signs and X-shaped railroad
   crossbuck signs."

   Truck Driver is Charged in Amtrak Train Collision, The Houston Chronicle,
   Jul 13, 1999.

As a parent of a three-year old daughter, I'm constantly besieged with
questions. While on an after-dinner walk, the enquiry comes up,
"Where's the sun gone?"
"He's sleeping."
"Why?"
"Because his mommy put him to bed."
"Why?"
"Because he has to go to pre-school tomorrow."
"Why?"
"Because he likes playing with his friends and teachers."
"Why?"
...
A few more whys later, I'm ready to confess ignorance. Such a small
question -- Why? -- yet so hard to answer. Fortunately, the whats are
easier to tackle. As it happens, the English language has a word for
almost everything around: from the ball on the top of a flagpole (truck),
to the spot on a die or a domino (pip), to the little circle that comes
out of a punched paper (we all know it by now). This week we'll look
at some more words that answer, "What is this called?"            -Anu

P.S. Online journalism, anyone? Join us for a chat on this topic with
Sreenath Sreenivasan, a professor at Columbia University's Graduate School
of Journalism. It runs today 6-7 PM EDT U.S. (GMT -4). For more details
and to join the chat, visit http://wordsmith.org/chat/sree.html

P.P.S. Perhaps I was being oscitant last week, but the word oscitant is
an adjective, not a noun.

............................................................................
He is the best physician who is the most ingenious inspirer of hope.
-Samuel Taylor Coleridge, poet, critic, and philosopher (1772-1834)

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Pronunciation:
http://wordsmith.org/words/crossbuck.wav
http://wordsmith.org/words/crossbuck.ram