From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Croud \Croud\ (kroud), n. (Mus.)
See Crowd, a violin.
[1913 Webster]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Crowd \Crowd\, n. [W. crwth; akin to Gael. cruit. Perh. named
from its shape, and akin to Gr. kyrto`s curved, and E. curve.
Cf. Rote.]
An ancient instrument of music with six strings; a kind of
violin, being the oldest known stringed instrument played
with a bow. [Written also croud, crowth, cruth, and
crwth.]
[1913 Webster]
A lackey that . . . can warble upon a crowd a little.
--B. Jonson.
[1913 Webster]