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Webster 1913 Edition


Cripple

Crip′ple

(krĭp′p’l)
,
Noun.
[OE.
cripel
,
crepel
,
crupel
, AS.
crypel
(akin to D.
kreuple
, G.
krüppel
, Dan.
kröbling
, Icel.
kryppill
), prop., one that can not walk, but must creep, fr. AS.
creópan
to creep. See
Creep
.]
One who creeps, halts, or limps; one who has lost, or never had, the use of a limb or limbs; a lame person; hence, one who is partially disabled.
I am a
cripple
in my limbs; but what decays are in my mind, the reader must determine.
Dryden.

Crip′ple

(krĭp′p’l)
,
Adj.
Lame; halting.
[R.]
“The cripple, tardy-gaited night.”
Shak.

Crip′ple

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Crippled
(-p’ld)
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Crippling
(-pl?ng)
.]
1.
To deprive of the use of a limb, particularly of a leg or foot; to lame.
He had
crippled
the joints of the noble child.
Sir W. Scott.
2.
To deprive of strength, activity, or capability for service or use; to disable; to deprive of resources;
as, to be financially
crippled
.
More serious embarrassments . . . were
crippling
the energy of the settlement in the Bay.
Palfrey.
An incumbrance which would permanently
cripple
the body politic.
Macaulay.

Webster 1828 Edition


Cripple

CRIPPLE

,
Noun.
[G.] A lame person; primarily, one who creeps, halts or limps; one who has lost, or never enjoyed the use of his limbs. Acts 14.
The word may signify one who is partially or totally disabled from using his limbs.
See the blind beggar dance, the cripple sing.

CRIPPLE

,
Adj.
Lame.

CRIPPLE

,
Verb.
T.
1.
To lame; to deprive of the use of the limbs, particularly of the legs and feet.
2.
To disable; to deprive of the power of exertion. We say, a fleet was crippled in the engagement.