Link Centre Dictionary

cripple

UK/ˈkɹɪp(ə)l/ US/ˈkrɪpʌl/ fairly common slang
verb (2) noun (1)

verb

1.

deprive of strength or efficiency; make useless or worthless

  • “This measure crippled our efforts”
  • “Their behavior stultified the boss”
Synonyms
2.

deprive of the use of a limb, especially a leg

  • “The accident has crippled her for life”
Synonyms

noun

1.

someone whose legs are disabled

Origin

From Middle English cripel, crepel, crüpel, from Old English crypel (“crippled; a cripple”), from Proto-Germanic *krupilaz (“tending to crawl; a cripple”), from Proto-Indo-European *grewb- (“to bend, crouch, crawl”), from Proto-Indo-European *ger- (“to bend, twist”), equivalent to creep + -le. Cognate with Dutch kreupel, Low German Kröpel, German Krüppel, Old Norse kryppill.

Phrases

  • Cripple Creek
  • emotional cripple
  • go it, ye cripples
  • nipple cripple

Related words

Word family

Broader terms

Narrower terms

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.