The meaning of Cramped

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.

adjective

Closely and neatly packed together; dense.

Usage examples:

A compact cluster of houses

verb

Exert force on (something) so that it becomes more dense; compress.

Usage examples:

The rubbish was taken to the depot to be compacted

noun

A small flat case containing face powder, a mirror, and a powder puff.

Usage examples:

Looking once more in her compact's mirror, she got out of the limo and ran up to hug him.

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…

adjective

(of a space) restricted in area or volume; cramped.

Usage examples:

Her fear of confined spaces

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

adjective

(of a road or place) so crowded with traffic or people as to hinder or prevent freedom of movement.

Usage examples:

The congested streets of the west end

verb

Crowd (a road or place) so as to hinder or prevent freedom of movement.

Usage examples:

Uncontrolled development will congest our streets

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.

adjective

Narrowed, especially by encircling pressure.

Usage examples:

Constricted air passages

verb

Make narrower, especially by encircling pressure.

Usage examples:

Chemicals that constrict the blood vessels

adjective

(of a space) full of people, leaving little or no room for movement; packed.

Usage examples:

A very crowded room

verb

(of a number of people) fill (a space) almost completely, leaving little or no room for movement.

Usage examples:

The dance floor was crowded with revellers

adjective

Full of people

Usage examples:

It’s a popular and often crowded place.

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…

verb

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

Usage examples:

The sap causes swelling which can impede breathing

adjective

Lacking the quality or quantity required; insufficient for a purpose.

Usage examples:

These labels prove to be wholly inadequate

adjective

Too low in quality or too small in amount; not enough

Usage examples:

An inadequate income/offer, i feel inadequate when i talk to miranda about art because she knows so…

adjective

Too small in amount

Usage examples:

Inadequate funds/incomes/pensions too many of us are retiring on hopelessly inadequate incomes., th…

adjective

Causing inconvenience or discomfort.

Usage examples:

Be careful this incommodious fate does not befall you.

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…

verb

Squeeze or pack tightly into a specified space.

Usage examples:

Four of us were jammed in one compartment

verb

Make (fruit) into jam.

noun

An instance of a thing seizing or becoming stuck.

Usage examples:

Paper jams

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…

adjective

Of a minimum amount, quantity, or degree; negligible.

Usage examples:

The aircraft suffered minimal damage

adjective

As small as possible

Usage examples:

Fortunately, damage to the heart was minimal.

adjective

Very small in amount

Usage examples:

The chances of losing money are minimal., the service will be provided for free, or at minimal cost.

adjective

Of small width in relation to length.

Usage examples:

He made his way down the narrow road

verb

Become or make less wide.

Usage examples:

The road narrowed and crossed an old bridge

noun

A narrow channel connecting two larger areas of water.

Usage examples:

There was a car ferry across the narrows of loch long

verb

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

Usage examples:

She was obstructing the entrance

adjective

Containing an excessive amount of something.

Usage examples:

An overfull cup of tea

adjective

(of a room, building, or other place) filled by a large number of people; very crowded.

Usage examples:

A packed merseyside pub

verb

Fill (a suitcase or bag) with clothes and other items needed for travel.

Usage examples:

I packed a bag and left

verb

Fill (a jury, committee, etc.) with people likely to support a particular verdict or decision.

Usage examples:

His efforts to pack the supreme court with men who shared his ideology

adjective

(of a room or building) uncomfortably small and cramped.

Usage examples:

Five of us shared the poky little room

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/…

adjective

Limited in extent, number, scope, or action.

Usage examples:

Western scientists had only restricted access to the site

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

adjective

Limited in amount or range

Usage examples:

Job opportunities are severely restricted at the moment., restricted goods/service/supply engineeri…

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

adjective

Of a size that is less than normal or usual.

Usage examples:

The room was small and quiet

adverb

Into small pieces.

Usage examples:

Cut the okra up small

plural noun

Small items of clothing, especially underwear.

Usage examples:

Do we know if secreted about his smalls he has a pair of boxer shorts in either the ancient or red …

adjective

Thinly dispersed or scattered.

Usage examples:

Areas of sparse population

adjective

Small in number or amount and not dense or close together

Usage examples:

Plants with sparse foliage, sparse attendance, a sparse vocabulary, this area is very sparsely sett…

noun

A narrow passage of water connecting two seas or two other large areas of water.

Usage examples:

The straits of gibraltar

adjective

(of a place) of limited spatial capacity; narrow or cramped.

Usage examples:

The road was so strait that a handful of men might have defended it

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

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

adjective

Fixed, fastened, or closed firmly; hard to move, undo, or open.

Usage examples:

She twisted her handkerchief into a tight knot

adverb

Very firmly, closely, or tensely.

Usage examples:

He went downstairs, holding tight to the bannisters

adjective

Very small.

Usage examples:

A tiny hummingbird

noun

A very young child.

Usage examples:

Books that will make tinies and parents laugh out loud

adjective

Causing or feeling slight pain or physical discomfort.

Usage examples:

His hard, uncomfortable bed

adjective

Not comfortable or relaxed, or feeling anxiety

Usage examples:

An uncomfortable chair, she feels uncomfortable in a room full of strangers., an uncomfortably warm…