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Cramp

//kɹæmp// adj, name, noun, verb

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 1
    cramped; narrow archaic

    "[…] the result was those folio volumes of MSS. now in the British Museum, in which inquirers into the history of that period find so much interesting material in such a confused state and in such a dreadfully cramp handwriting."

Proper Noun
  1. 1
    A surname.
Noun
  1. 1
    A painful contraction of a muscle which cannot be controlled; (sometimes) a similar pain even without noticeable contraction. countable, uncountable

    "He retired hurt at 31 due to a leg cramp."

  2. 2
    a strip of metal with ends bent at right angles; used to hold masonry together wordnet
  3. 3
    That which confines or contracts. countable, uncountable

    "A narrow Fortune is undoubtedly a Cramp to a great Mind."

  4. 4
    a clamp for holding pieces of wood together while they are glued wordnet
  5. 5
    A clamp for carpentry or masonry. countable, uncountable
Show 2 more definitions
  1. 6
    a painful and involuntary muscular contraction wordnet
  2. 7
    A piece of wood having a curve corresponding to that of the upper part of the instep, on which the upper leather of a boot is stretched to give it the requisite shape. countable, uncountable
Verb
  1. 1
    (of a muscle) To contract painfully and uncontrollably. intransitive
  2. 2
    suffer from sudden painful contraction of a muscle wordnet
  3. 3
    To affect with cramps or spasms. transitive

    "The collar of the tunic scratched my neck, the steel helmet made my head ache, and the puttees cramped my leg muscles."

  4. 4
    affect with or as if with a cramp wordnet
  5. 5
    To prohibit movement or expression of. figuratively, transitive

    "You're cramping my style."

Show 6 more definitions
  1. 6
    prevent the progress or free movement of wordnet
  2. 7
    To restrain to a specific physical position, as if with a cramp. transitive

    "You're going to need to cramp the wheels on this hill."

  3. 8
    secure with a cramp wordnet
  4. 9
    To fasten or hold with, or as if with, a cramp iron.
  5. 10
    To bind together; to unite. broadly

    "The […] fabric of universal justice is well cramped and bolted together in all its parts."

  6. 11
    To form on a cramp.

    "to cramp boot legs"

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English crampe, from Old French crampe (“cramp”), from Frankish *krampa (“cramp”), from Proto-West Germanic *krampu, from Proto-Germanic *krampō (“cramp, clasp”). Distant relative of English crop.

Etymology 2

From Middle English crampe, from Old French crampe (“cramp”), from Frankish *krampa (“cramp”), from Proto-West Germanic *krampu, from Proto-Germanic *krampō (“cramp, clasp”). Distant relative of English crop.

Etymology 3

From Middle English crampe, from Old French crampe (“cramp”), from Frankish *krampa (“cramp”), from Proto-West Germanic *krampu, from Proto-Germanic *krampō (“cramp, clasp”). Distant relative of English crop.

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