Adjacent Words

Crutch definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

CRUTCH, n. [G.]
1. A staff with a curving cross piece at the head, to be placed under the arm or shoulder, to support the lame in walking.
2. Figuratively, old age.
CRUTCH, v.t. To support on crutches; to prop or sustain, with miserable helps, that which is feeble.
Two fools that crutch their feeble sense on verse.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a wooden or metal staff that fits under the armpit and reaches to the ground; used by disabled person while walking
2: anything that serves as an expedient; "he uses drugs as a psychological crutch"

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle English crucche, from Old English crycc; akin to Old High German krucka crutch Date: before 12th century 1. a. a support typically fitting under the armpit for use by the disabled in walking b. prop, stay 2. a forked leg rest constituting the pommel of a sidesaddle 3. the crotch of a human being or an animal 4. a forked support II. transitive verb Date: 1609 to support on crutches ; prop up

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 a support for a lame person, usu. with a crosspiece at the top fitting under the armpit (pair of crutches). 2 any support or prop. 3 the crotch of the human body or garment. Etymology: OE cryc(c) f. Gmc

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Crutch Crutch, v. t. To support on crutches; to prop up. [R.] Two fools that crutch their feeble sense on verse. --Dryden.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Crutch Crutch (kr[u^]ch; 224), n.; pl. Crutches (-[e^]z). [OE. crucche, AS. crycc, cricc; akin to D. kruk, G. kr["u]cke, Dan. krykke, Sw. krycka, and to E. crook. See Crook, and cf. Cricket a low stool.] 1. A staff with a crosspiece at the head, to be placed under the arm or shoulder, to support the lame or infirm in walking. I'll lean upon one crutch, and fight with the other. --Shak. Rhyme is a crutch that lifts the weak alone. --H. Smith. 2. A form of pommel for a woman's saddle, consisting of a forked rest to hold the leg of the rider. 3. (Naut.) (a) A knee, or piece of knee timber. (b) A forked stanchion or post; a crotch. See Crotch.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Crotch Crotch (kr?ch; 224), n.; pl. Crotches (-?z). [Cf. Crotchet, Crutch.] 1. The angle formed by the parting of two legs or branches; a fork; the point where a trunk divides; as, the crotch of a tree. 2. (Naut.) A stanchion or post of wood or iron, with two arms for supporting a boom, spare yards, etc.; -- called also crane and crutch. --Totten.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(crutches) 1. A crutch is a stick whose top fits round or under the user's arm, which someone with an injured foot or leg uses to support their weight when walking. I can walk without the aid of crutches... I was on crutches for a while. N-COUNT: usu pl, oft on N 2. If you refer to someone or something as a crutch, you mean that they give you help or support. He gave up the crutch of alcohol. N-SING 3. Your crutch is the same as your crotch. (mainly BRIT) He kicked him in the crutch. N-COUNT

Moby Thesaurus

Malacca cane, V, advocate, alpenstock, arm, athletic supporter, back, backbone, backing, bandeau, baton, bearer, bra, brace, bracer, bracket, branch, brassiere, buttress, cane, carrier, cervix, corset, crook, crosier, cross, cross-staff, crotch, crutch-stick, delta, fan, fork, foundation garment, fulcrum, furcula, furculum, girdle, groin, guy, guywire, handstaff, inguen, jock, jockstrap, lituus, mainstay, maintainer, mast, neck, offshoot, pastoral staff, paterissa, prong, prop, quarterstaff, ramification, reinforce, reinforcement, reinforcer, rest, resting place, rigging, shillelagh, shoulder, shroud, spine, sprit, staff, standing rigging, stave, stay, stem, stick, stiffener, strengthener, support, supporter, sustainer, swagger stick, swanking stick, trident, upholder, walking stick, wishbone