cripple

cripple
noun archaic or offensive a person who is unable to walk or move properly through disability or injury.
verb make unable to move or walk properly.
↘cause severe and disabling damage to.
Derivatives
crippledom noun
crippler noun
Origin
OE: from two words, crypel and crēopel, both of Gmc origin and related to creep.
Usage
The word cripple in the sense ‘a person unable to walk through disability or injury’ has acquired offensive connotations and has now largely been replaced by broader terms such as disabled person.

English new terms dictionary. 2014.

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Synonyms:

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  • Cripple — Crip ple (kr[i^]p p l), n. [OE. cripel, crepel, crupel, AS. crypel (akin to D. kreuple, G. kr[ u]ppel, Dan. kr[ o]bling, Icel. kryppill), prop., one that can not walk, but must creep, fr. AS. cre[ o]pan to creep. See {Creep}.] One who creeps,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Cripple — Crip ple, (kr[i^]p p l), n. [Local. U. S.] (a) Swampy or low wet ground, often covered with brush or with thickets; bog. The flats or cripple land lying between high and low water lines, and over which the waters of the stream ordinarily come and …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Cripple — Crip ple (kr[i^]p p l), a. Lame; halting. [R.] The cripple, tardy gaited night. Shak. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Cripple — Crip ple, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Crippled} ( p ld); p. pr. & vb. n. {Crippling} ( pl?ng).] 1. To deprive of the use of a limb, particularly of a leg or foot; to lame. [1913 Webster] He had crippled the joints of the noble child. Sir W. Scott. [1913 …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • cripple — (n.) O.E. crypel, related to cryppan to crook, bend, from P.Gmc. *krupilaz (Cf. O.Fris. kreppel, M.Du. cropel, Ger. krüppel, O.N. kryppill). Possibly also related to O.E. creopan to creep (creopere, lit. creeper, was another O.E. word for… …   Etymology dictionary

  • cripple — [v1] disable; make lame attenuate, blunt, debilitate, disarm, dislimb, dismember, enfeeble, hamstring*, hurt, immobilize, incapacitate, injure, lame, maim, mangle, mutilate, palsy, paralyze, prostrate, sap, sideline*, stifle, undermine,… …   New thesaurus

  • cripple — ► NOUN archaic or offensive ▪ a person who is unable to walk or move properly through disability or injury. ► VERB 1) make (someone) unable to move or walk properly. 2) cause severe and disabling damage to (something). USAGE The word cripple as a …   English terms dictionary

  • cripple — [krip′əl] n. [ME cripel < OE crypel (akin to Ger krüppel) < base of creopan: see CREEP] 1. a person or animal that is lame or otherwise disabled in a way that prevents normal motion of the limbs or body: somewhat offensive when used to… …   English World dictionary

  • cripple — index damage, debilitate, disable, disarm (divest of arms), foil, frustrate, harm, hinder, impair …   Law dictionary

  • cripple — vb 1 *maim, mutilate, batter, mangle Analogous words: *injure, hurt 2 disable, *weaken, enfeeble, debilitate, undermine, sap Analogous words: damage, harm, impair, mar (see INJURE) …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • cripple — meaning ‘a person who is permanently lame’ is now regarded as offensive. Use disabled person instead …   Modern English usage

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