cripple
2 ENTRIES FOUND:
plural
cripples
plural
cripples
Britannica Dictionary definition of CRIPPLE
[count]
1
old-fashioned + offensive
:
a person who cannot move or walk normally because of a permanent injury (such as a damaged leg or foot) or other physical problem
-
He returned from war a cripple.
◊ Cripple is an old-fashioned word. People now usually use the less offensive term disabled person.
2
informal
:
a person who has emotional problems that prevent normal behavior with other people
-
She's an emotional cripple. [=she's unable to express her emotions normally]
-
social cripples
2
cripple
/ˈkrɪpəl/
verb
cripples;
crippled;
crippling
2
cripple
/ˈkrɪpəl/
verb
cripples;
crippled;
crippling
Britannica Dictionary definition of CRIPPLE
[+ object]
1
:
to cause (a person or animal) to be unable to move or walk normally
— usually used as (be) crippled
-
Thousands of people have been crippled by the disease.
-
The car accident left him crippled. [=disabled]
2
:
to make (something) unable to work normally
:
to cause great damage to (something)
-
Higher taxes could cripple small businesses.
-
an economy crippled by inflation
-
The disease cripples the body's immune system. [=it makes the body unable to heal itself]
— crippling
adjective-
crippling diseases
-
the crippling effects of the disease
-
the crippling effects of inflation
