cramp

Plural: cramps

Noun

a painful and involuntary muscular contraction
a clamp for holding pieces of wood together while they are glued
a strip of metal with ends bent at right angles; used to hold masonry together
A painful contraction of a muscle which cannot be controlled; (sometimes) a similar pain even without noticeable contraction.
That which confines or contracts.
A clamp for carpentry or masonry.
A piece of wood having a curve corresponding to that of the upper part of the instep, on which the upper leather of a boot is stretched to give it the requisite shape.

Verb

Verb Forms: cramped, cramping, cramps

To restrict or inhibit the movement or development of.
secure with a cramp
- "cramp the wood"
prevent the progress or free movement of
affect with or as if with a cramp
suffer from sudden painful contraction of a muscle
(of a muscle) To contract painfully and uncontrollably.
To affect with cramps or spasms.
To prohibit movement or expression of.
To restrain to a specific physical position, as if with a cramp.
To fasten or hold with, or as if with, a cramp iron.
To bind together; to unite.
To form on a cramp.

Adj

cramped; narrow

Examples

He retired hurt at 31 due to a leg cramp.
His limited tile rack threatened to CRAMP his Words With Friends strategy.
to cramp boot legs
You're cramping my style.
You're going to need to cramp the wheels on this hill.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English crampe, from Old French crampe (“cramp”), from Frankish *krampa (“cramp”), from Proto-West Germanic *krampu, from Proto-Germanic *krampō (“cramp, clasp”). Distant relative of English crop.

Synonyms

cramp iron, halter, hamper, muscle spasm, spasm, strangle, hindrance, restraint, shackle

Scrabble Score: 11

cramp: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
cramp: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
cramp: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 14

cramp: valid Words With Friends Word