cramp /kramp/

1. An involuntary and painful contraction of a voluntary muscle or group of muscles
2. (in pl) acute abdominal pain
3. Restraint
4. A cramp-iron
5. A device with a movable part that can be screwed tight so as to press things together

1. (used of handwriting) hard to make out
2. Cramped
3. Narrow

1. To affect with spasms
2. To confine
3. To hamper
4. To fasten with a cramp-iron

cramped adjective

1. (of handwriting) small and closely written
2. Compressed
3. Restricted, without enough room, confined

crampˈet or crampˈit noun

1. A scabbard-chape
2. A cramp-iron
3. A crampon

crampˈing adjective

Restricting, confining

crampˈon noun

1. A grappling-iron
2. A spiked attachment for boots for climbing mountains or telegraph poles or walking on ice

crampˈy adjective

1. Affected or diseased with cramp
2. Producing cramp

cramp ball noun

A hard spherical black fungus, Daldinia concentrica, formerly thought to ward off cramp

crampˈbark noun (US)

The guelder rose, or its medicinal bark

crampˈ-bone noun

The patella of the sheep, an old charm for cramp

crampˈ-fish noun

The electric ray or torpedo

crampˈ-iron noun

A piece of metal bent at both ends for binding things together

crampˈ-ring noun

A ring formerly blessed by the sovereign on Good Friday against cramp and falling sickness

cramp someone's style

To restrict someone's movements or actions

writer's cramp

A common disease affecting those in the habit of constant writing, the muscles refusing to respond only when an attempt to write is made (also called scrivener's palsy)

• abrooking
• a broth of a boy
• ABRSM
• abrupt
• abrupter
• abruptest
• abruption
• abruptions
• abruptly
• abruptness
• abruptnesses
• abrupts
• Abrus
• abrégé
• abrégés
• abs
• abs.
• ABS
• abscess
• abscessed
• abscesses
• abscind
• abscinded
• abscinding
• abscinds