The meaning of Cramp

noun

A continuous or prolonged dull pain in a part of one's body.

Usage examples:

The ache in her head worsened

verb

Suffer from a continuous dull pain.

Usage examples:

My legs ached from the previous day's exercise

verb

Seize (someone) by legal authority and take them into custody.

Usage examples:

The police arrested him for possession of marijuana

noun

The action of seizing someone and taking them into custody.

Usage examples:

I have a warrant for your arrest

verb

Take into custody

noun

A large solid piece of hard material, especially rock, stone, or wood, typically with flat surfaces on each side.

Usage examples:

A block of marble

verb

Make the movement or flow in (a passage, pipe, road, etc.) difficult or impossible.

Usage examples:

The narrow roads were blocked by cars

verb

Obstruct

noun

The headgear used to control a horse, consisting of buckled straps to which a bit and reins are attached.

Usage examples:

Grooms came at once to take the bridles

verb

Put a bridle on (a horse).

Usage examples:

Five horses, saddled and bridled, were tied by the reins to branches of trees

verb

Examine (something) in order to determine its accuracy, quality, or condition, or to detect the presence of something.

Usage examples:

Customs officers have the right to check all luggage

noun

An examination to test or ascertain accuracy, quality, or satisfactory condition.

Usage examples:

A campaign calling for regular checks on gas appliances

exclamation

Us spelling of cheque.

noun

Muscular spasm involving repeated, often rhythmic, contractions.

Usage examples:

The patient suffered partial seizures accompanied with clonus in the left arm

verb

Keep or restrict someone or something within certain limits of (space, scope, or time).

Usage examples:

He does not confine his message to high politics

noun

The borders or boundaries of a place, especially with regard to their restricting freedom of movement.

Usage examples:

Within the confines of the hall escape was difficult

verb

To keep someone or something within limits

Usage examples:

The animals were confined in a large pen., harris does not confine her stage work to broadway., can…

verb

Compel or force (someone) to follow a particular course of action.

Usage examples:

Children are constrained to work in the way the book dictates

verb

To limit someone's freedom, or to limit the way something develops or grows

Usage examples:

Rising energy costs are constraining consumer and business spending.

noun

A sudden, violent, irregular movement of the body, caused by involuntary contraction of muscles and associated especially with brain disorders such as epilepsy, the presence of certain toxins or other agents in the blood, or fever in children.

Usage examples:

Toxic side effects like convulsions

noun

A shaking movement of the body that cannot be controlled, often caused by illness

Usage examples:

The syndrome brought on convulsions.

noun

A painful stiff feeling in the neck or back.

Usage examples:

Adam woke up quite early thanks to a painful crick in his neck.

verb

Twist or strain (one's neck or back), causing painful stiffness.

Usage examples:

I turned my head so quickly that i cricked my neck

noun

A creek.

noun

A check or restraint on something.

Usage examples:

Plans to introduce tougher curbs on insider dealing

verb

Variant spelling of kerb.

noun

A stone edging to a pavement or raised path.

verb

Restrict or impede (someone or something) in such a way that free action or movement is difficult.

Usage examples:

She was encumbered by her heavy skirts

verb

To weigh someone or something down, or to make it difficult for someone to do something

Usage examples:

Be encumbered with/by today, thankfully, women tennis players are not encumbered with/by long, heav…

noun

A basket with a carrying handle and a hinged lid, used for food, cutlery, and plates on a picnic.

Usage examples:

A picnic hamper

verb

Hinder or impede the movement or progress of.

Usage examples:

Their work is hampered by lack of funds

noun

Necessary but cumbersome equipment on a ship.

Usage examples:

The mass of the top hamper must be consciously balanced against the tremendous beam.

noun

Any of five tendons at the back of a person's knee.

Usage examples:

He pulled a hamstring

verb

Cripple (a person or animal) by cutting their hamstrings.

Usage examples:

He hammered the remnants of his blade into the chest of the one who shattered it, and jumped to avo…

verb

To prevent an activity, or to block the effectiveness of someone or something

Usage examples:

The company is hamstrung by its traditional but inefficient ways of doing business., i played the w…

noun

A circumstance that makes progress or success difficult.

Usage examples:

Not being able to drive was something of a handicap

verb

Act as an impediment to.

Usage examples:

Lack of funding has handicapped the development of research

noun

A physical or mental condition that makes ordinary activities more difficult than they are for other people

Usage examples:

His loss of hearing was a severe handicap., their lack of knowledge of computer programming was not…

verb

Make it difficult for (someone) to do something or for (something) to happen.

Usage examples:

Language barriers hindered communication between scientists

adjective

(especially of a bodily part) rear; hind.

Usage examples:

The hinder end of its body

verb

To limit the ability of someone to do something, or to limit the development of something

Usage examples:

A poor diet can hinder mental and physical growth., i don’t know if these changes are going to help…

noun

Muscle spasm.

verb

Delay or prevent (someone or something) by obstructing them; hinder.

Usage examples:

The sap causes swelling which can impede breathing

verb

Hinder, restrain, or prevent (an action or process).

Usage examples:

Cold inhibits plant growth

verb

To take an action that makes something less likely to happen, or that discourages someone from doing something

Usage examples:

The merger of the two corporations was not allowed because it would inhibit open competition., some…

verb

To prevent something from developing in the way or at the rate that is possible

Usage examples:

Inhibit competition/growth/innovation authorities fear that fewer, bigger airlines will inhibit com…

noun

A sharp twist or curve in something that is otherwise straight.

Usage examples:

A kink in the road

verb

Form or cause to form a sharp twist or curve.

Usage examples:

The river kinks violently in a right angle

noun

A sharp twist or bend in something such as a wire or rope

Usage examples:

There was a kink in the hose and the water wouldn’t come through., the system will work fine once w…

noun

A point or level beyond which something does not or may not extend or pass.

Usage examples:

The failure showed the limits of british power

verb

Set or serve as a limit to.

Usage examples:

Try to limit the amount you drink

noun

The greatest amount, number, or level allowed or possible

Usage examples:

There’s a limit to her patience., two cups of coffee are my limit., spending limits were imposed by…

verb

Block (an opening, path, road, etc.); be or get in the way of.

Usage examples:

She was obstructing the entrance

noun

Highly unpleasant physical sensation caused by illness or injury.

Usage examples:

She's in great pain

verb

Cause mental or physical pain to.

Usage examples:

It pains me to say this

noun

A sudden sharp pain or painful emotion.

Usage examples:

Lindsey experienced a sharp pang of guilt

adjective

Crammed or densely packed.

Usage examples:

Pang full of meat and bread

verb

Prevent (someone or something) from doing something; keep under control or within limits.

Usage examples:

The need to restrain public expenditure

verb

Put a limit on; keep under control.

Usage examples:

Some roads may have to be closed at peak times to restrict the number of visitors

verb

To limit someone's actions or movement, or to limit the amount, size, etc., of something

Usage examples:

The government has so sharply restricted his fishing that he can barely pay his crew., the state le…

verb

To limit something, reduce its size, or prevent it from increasing

Usage examples:

If they want to restrict access to their pages, privacy controls are available., restrict the sale/…

verb

Delay or hold back in terms of progress or development.

Usage examples:

Our progress was retarded by unforeseen difficulties

noun

A person who has a mental disability (often used as a general term of abuse).

verb

To make something slower

Usage examples:

Reductions in pollution levels could retard global warming.

noun

A pair of fetters connected together by a chain, used to fasten a prisoner's wrists or ankles together.

Usage examples:

He tugged on the chain connecting my shackles together

verb

Chain with shackles.

Usage examples:

The prisoner was shackled to the heavy steel chair in the centre of the room

noun

One of a pair of metal rings connected by a chain and fastened to a person’s wrists or the bottoms of the legs to prevent the person from escaping

Usage examples:

The prisoner was led away in shackles., the convicts were shackled and led onto the bus., fig. she …

adjective

Moving or operating, or designed to do so, only at a low speed; not quick or fast.

Usage examples:

Until recently diesel cars were slow and noisy

adverb

At a slow pace; slowly.

Usage examples:

The train went slower and slower

verb

Reduce one's speed or the speed of a vehicle or process.

Usage examples:

The train slowed to a halt

noun

Inability to move easily and without pain.

Usage examples:

Stretching exercises ease stiffness in the legs

noun

The quality of being very formal and not relaxed

Usage examples:

His early stiffness and formality evolved into friendliness., i had some muscle stiffness after the…

noun

A loop of thread or yarn resulting from a single pass or movement of the needle in sewing, knitting, or crocheting.

Usage examples:

There's the strong likelihood of my stitches sliding off my needles with every movement.

verb

Make, mend, or join (something) with stitches.

Usage examples:

Stitch a plain seam with right sides together

noun

A piece of thread sewn in cloth, or the single movement of a needle and thread into and out of the cloth that produces this

Usage examples:

She sewed neat, firm stitches., a cut on his left ankle required six stitches., i got a stitch whil…

verb

Prevent (someone) from accomplishing something.

Usage examples:

He never did anything to thwart his father

noun

A structural crosspiece forming a seat for a rower in a boat.

Usage examples:

Her hull is painted white with blue trim on the thwarts.

preposition

From one side to another side of (an area); across.

Usage examples:

A pink-tinged cloud spread thwart the shore

noun

A habitual spasmodic contraction of the muscles, most often in the face.

Usage examples:

In contrast, complex motor tics usually involve more muscle groups.

noun

A sudden, small, uncontrollable movement, esp. of the face

Usage examples:

He developed a tic when he was nervous.

noun

Abbreviation for true interest cost

verb

Attach or fasten with string or similar cord.

Usage examples:

They tied max to a chair

noun

A piece of string, cord, or similar used for fastening or tying something.

Usage examples:

He tightened the tie of his robe

verb

Fasten or secure with a rope, string, or cord

noun

A sudden, sharp localized pain.

Usage examples:

He felt a twinge in his knee

verb

(of a part of the body) suffer a sudden, sharp localized pain.

Usage examples:

Stop the exercises if the tummy twinges

noun

A sudden, brief feeling of pain or an emotion

Usage examples:

When she saw the house she grew up in, she felt a twinge of sadness.

verb

Give or cause to give a short, sudden jerking or convulsive movement.

Usage examples:

Her lips twitched and her eyelids fluttered

noun

A short, sudden jerking or convulsive movement.

Usage examples:

His mouth gave a slight twitch

verb

To make a short and sudden movement, or to cause part of your body to move suddenly

Usage examples:

[ i ] she saw his mouth twitch into a little smile that disappeared almost at once., she signalled …