crib

I. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Old English cribb; akin to Old High German krippa manger, and perhaps to Greek griphos reed basket Date: before 12th century 1. a manger for feeding animals 2. an enclosure especially of framework: as a. a stall for a stabled animal b. a small child's bedstead with high enclosing usually slatted sides c. any of various devices resembling a crate or framework in structure d. a building for storage ; bin 3. a. a small narrow room or dwelling ; hut, shack b. a room or shack used for prostitution 4. the cards discarded in cribbage for the dealer to use in scoring 5. a. a small theft b. plagiarism c. a literal translation; especially pony 3 d. a summary and key to understanding a literary work e. something used for cheating in an examination 6. creche 1 II. verb (cribbed; cribbing) Date: 1605 transitive verb 1. confine, cramp 2. to provide with or put into a crib; especially to line or support with a framework of timber 3. pilfer, steal; especially plagiarize intransitive verb 1. a. steal, plagiarize b. to use a crib ; cheat 2. to have the vice of cribbing • cribber noun