crampon
/ˈkrampɒn
/ /ˈkrampən/noun (usually crampons)
1A metal plate with spikes fixed to a boot for walking on ice or rock climbing.To scale the 35 metres you need climbing boots, crampons, two ice axes, a helmet, a harness, plus a head for heights....
- We put crampons over our boots, roped up and ascended the ice cliff in single file, using our ice picks to stabilize us at each step.
- In fact, you'd probably need crampons in order to walk.
2 archaic term for grappling hook.
Origin
Middle English (in sense 2): from Old French, of Germanic origin.
Rhymes
- characteristic equation
- characteristic function
- characteristic impedance
- characteristicness
- characteristic piece
- characteristic polynomial
- characteristic radiation
- characterizable
- characterization
- characterize
- characterizer
- characterless
- characterological
- characterologically
- characterologist
- characterology
- character part
- character piece
- character recognition
- character reference
- character role
- character set
- character sketch
- character sketching
- character state