cripple Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun someone who is unable to walk normally because of an injury or disability to the legs or back
  2. verb deprive of strength or efficiency; make useless or worthless
    stultify.
    • This measure crippled our efforts
    • Their behavior stultified the boss's hard work
  3. verb deprive of the use of a limb, especially a leg
    lame.
    • The accident has crippled her for life

WordNet

Crip"ple noun
Etymology
OE. cripel, crepel, crupel, AS. crypel (akin to D. kreuple, G. krppel, Dan. krbling, Icel. kryppill), prop., one that can not walk, but must creep, fr. AS. crepan to creep. See Creep.
Definitions
  1. 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 adjective
Definitions
  1. Lame; halting. R. "The cripple, tardy-gaited night." Shak.
Crip"ple transitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Crippled present participle & verbal noun Crippling
Definitions
  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 1913