| 释义 |
crip·ple
I. \ˈkripəl\ noun
(-s)
Etymology: Middle English cripel, from Old English crypel; akin to Middle Low German kropel, krepel, cripple, Old Norse kryppill, Old English cryppan to bend, crēopan to creep — more at creep
1.
a. : one that has lost or never has had the use of a limb or limbs or has lost a greater part of such use : a lame person or animal : one that creeps, halts, or limps
b. : a person disabled, deficient, or ineffective in a specified manner or fashion
< a heart cripple >
< social and mental cripples >
c. : a game bird or mammal injured but not recovered by the hunter
2. : support; especially : a temporary staging used in washing or painting windows
3.
a. : something flawed or imperfect (as a badly done job, a damaged railway car, or a cake marred in the baking)
b. dialect : swampy or low wet ground usually covered with brush or thickets
4. : a baseball pitch delivered without much stuff on it especially when the count favors the batter (as at three balls and no strikes)
< hit the cripple for a double >
5. : a unit in a building frame that is shorter than is usual for such a unit (as a stud reaching only from a window opening to a ceiling beam)
II. adjective
Etymology: Middle English cripel, from cripel, n.
: being a cripple : lame; also : worn out : inferior
III. verb
(crippled ; crippled ; crippling \-p(ə)liŋ\ ; cripples)
Etymology: Middle English criplen, from cripel, n.
transitive verb
: to make a cripple of: as
a. : to deprive of the use of a limb (as a leg or foot)
< those sorry thousands crippled by arthritis >
b. : to deprive of strength, efficiency, wholeness, or capability for service
< strikes are crippling our basic industries >
< such a sea would cripple any boat >
intransitive verb
: to be, become, or act like a cripple:
a. : to walk lamely : hobble, halt
b. : to become disabled, incapacitated, or weakened
Synonyms: see maim, weaken |