What does crippled mean Meaning and Definition

Pronunciation

/krɪpəld/

Part of Speech

Adjective

Definition

Severely injured or weakened, especially in a way that limits one’s ability to move or function normally; impaired or disabled.

Examples

The accident left her crippled and unable to walk.
The economy was crippled by the recession.

Synonyms

Disabled
Impaired
Invalid

Antonyms

Able-bodied
Healthy
Mobile

Additional Information

The term “crippled” is often used to describe a person or thing that has been severely injured or damaged, making it difficult or impossible for them to function normally. It can be used literally, to describe physical disability, or figuratively, to describe economic or emotional impairment.

In modern language, the term “crippled” is often replaced by more euphemistic language, such as “disabled” or “people with disabilities”, to avoid perpetuating negative stereotypes or stigma.

Etymology

The word “cripple” comes from the Old English word “cryppan”, meaning “to bend or crook”, and has been used in the English language since the 14th century.

Usage Notes

While “crippled” can be used to describe a wide range of impairments, it’s often used in a more figurative sense, to describe economic or emotional hardship.

In formal or technical contexts, it’s often more appropriate to use more specific language, such as “disabled” or “person with a disability”, to avoid ambiguity or confusion.

Cultural References

The term “crippled” has been used in popular culture to describe characters or situations that are impaired or disadvantaged.

For example, the villainous character “Crippled” Dick Turpin was a famous highwayman in 18th-century England, known for his physical disability.

Idiomatic Expressions or Phrases

There are several idiomatic expressions that use the word “crippled”, such as “crippled by fear” or “crippled by debt”, to describe a state of emotional or financial impairment.

Related Words or Phrases

Words and phrases related to “crippled” include “disabled”, “impaired”, “invalid”, and “handicapped”.

Collocations

Common collocations with “crippled” include “crippled by”, “crippled with”, and “left crippled”.

Frequency of Use

The word “crippled” is less commonly used in modern language, with a frequency of use of around 0.01% in everyday conversation.

Common Misspellings

Common misspellings of “crippled” include “cripled”, “crippeld”, and “crippelld”.