cramp

I. noun Etymology: Middle English crampe, from Anglo-French, of Germanic origin; akin to Middle Dutch crampe; akin to Old High German krampf bent Date: 14th century 1. a painful involuntary spasmodic contraction of a muscle 2. a temporary paralysis of muscles from overuse — compare writer's cramp 3. a. sharp abdominal pain — usually used in plural b. persistent and often intense though dull lower abdominal pain associated with dysmenorrhea — usually used in plural • crampy adjective II. noun Etymology: Middle English crampe, from Middle Dutch Date: 15th century 1. a. a usually iron device bent at the ends and used to hold timbers or blocks of stone together b. clamp 2. a. something that confines ; shackle b. the state of being confined III. verb Date: 15th century transitive verb 1. to affect with or as if with a cramp or cramps 2. a. confine, restrain <

was cramped in the tiny apartment

> b. to restrain from free expression — used especially in the phrase cramp one's style 3. to fasten or hold with a cramp intransitive verb to be affected with cramps IV. adjective Date: 1674 1. hard to understand or figure out <

cramp law terms

> <

cramp handwriting

> 2. being cramped <

a cramp corner

>