Definition

1. Noun:

   • A person who is unable to walk normally: A "cripple" is a person who has a severe limitation in their ability to walk, typically due to an injury or disability affecting the legs or back. Note: This term is now often considered offensive when used to refer to a person. More respectful terms like "person with a disability" are preferred.

2. Verb:

   • To deprive of the use of a limb: To "cripple" means to cause someone to lose the use of an arm or leg, especially a leg, making walking difficult or impossible.
   • To damage severely; to impair the function of: To "cripple" also means to cause serious damage to something, making it much less effective or functional.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The old novel described the character as a cripple who moved with crutches.
• Verb (physical impairment):
  • The accident could cripple him permanently.
  • The disease crippled her hands, making it hard to write.
• Verb (impairing function):
  • The economic sanctions aim to cripple the country's financial system.
  • A software bug crippled the network for hours.

Advanced Usage

• "to cripple with debt": to burden someone or something so heavily with debt that normal function becomes impossible.
  • The failed investment crippled the company with debt.
• "crippling" (adjective): causing severe and disabling damage.
  • The army retreated under crippling losses.
  • She suffers from crippling anxiety before public speeches.

Variants and Related Words

• Crippled (adjective): Describing something that has been severely damaged or impaired.
  • The crippled ship limped back to port.
• Cripplingly (adverb): In a manner that causes severe impairment.
  • The cost of living is cripplingly high in the city.

Synonyms

• Noun (person): Person with a mobility impairment (preferred), disabled person.
• Verb (disable): Disable, maim, lame, incapacitate.
• Verb (impair): Debilitate, paralyze, hamstring, undermine, sabotage.

Related Phrasal Verbs

(The word "cripple" itself is not commonly used in phrasal verb constructions. Its meanings are typically expressed directly.)

Related Idioms

• "To be a crippling blow": To be an event or action that causes severe damage or impairment.
  • The loss of their star player was a crippling blow to the team's championship hopes.

Noun

1. someone who is unable to walk normally because of an injury or disability to the legs or back

Verb

1. deprive of the use of a limb, especially a leg
   • The accident has crippled her for life
2. deprive of strength or efficiency; make useless or worthless
   • This measure crippled our efforts
   • Their behavior stultified the boss's hard work