cramp
/kræmp/ (bre, ipa) · /kræmp/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈkramp/ (ame, mw)
cramp — noun
- crampsingular
- crampsplural
1. a sudden tight and painful feeling in a muscle that stops you from moving that p
a sudden tight and painful feeling in a muscle that stops you from moving that part of your body easily, often after exercise, from cold, or when you have used the muscle too much
After running the marathon, Diego got a painful cramp in his left calf muscle.
get a cramp in [body part]
Swimming in cold water often gives Mei-Lin a cramp in her foot.
The doctor said the cramp in Kwame's thigh was caused by dehydration.
A sudden cramp in my hand made me drop the pen during the exam.
Noor stretched her arms carefully to avoid a cramp before the race.
- spasm
any involuntary muscle contraction, not necessarily painful; broader than cramp
- muscle knot
informal term for a tight band of muscle fibres, often painful
- charley horse
informal North American term for a leg cramp, especially in the thigh
文法句型
get a cramp in [body part]
have a cramp
常見錯誤
2. pains in the lower stomach or abdominal area that some women and girls experienc
pains in the lower stomach or abdominal area that some women and girls experience during their monthly period
Emma took a pain reliever for the cramps that came with her period.
have / get cramps with period
Hot tea and a warm towel helped ease Sofia's stomach cramps.
Severe menstrual cramps can make it hard to concentrate at school.
The nurse told Amara that light exercise might reduce her cramps.
- period pain
more general term, may include other types of discomfort besides cramping
- dysmenorrhea
medical term; more formal and not used in everyday conversation
文法句型
have cramps
menstrual cramps
period cramps
用法筆記
Usually used in the plural form 'cramps' for this sense. Singular 'a cramp' typically refers to a muscle cramp elsewhere in the body.
常見錯誤
3. a sudden sharp pain in the stomach or abdominal area that is not related to a wo
a sudden sharp pain in the stomach or abdominal area that is not related to a woman's monthly period and may be caused by illness, food, or overeating
After eating too quickly, Tom felt a sharp cramp in his stomach.
sharp cramp + eating too quickly
Food poisoning gave everyone at the party a bad stomach cramp.
A sudden cramp in my abdomen made me double over in the hallway.
Children with a stomach cramp should drink clear fluids and rest.
- stomach ache
broader term for any abdominal discomfort, not necessarily sharp or sudden
- belly ache
informal, mainly North American English, often used by children
- abdominal pain
more formal and clinical; used by doctors
文法句型
have a stomach cramp
get a cramp in the stomach
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 2 (PERIOD PAIN): this sense applies to anyone regardless of gender or menstrual status and usually refers to a single sharp episode rather than ongoing aching.
4. a piece of metal shaped like a clip or clamp, used to hold two pieces of wood, s
a piece of metal shaped like a clip or clamp, used to hold two pieces of wood, stone, or other material firmly together
The carpenter used a metal cramp to hold the wooden boards together while the glue dried.
use a cramp to hold [things] together
Stone workers fixed the blocks in place with iron cramps before adding the next layer.
Haruki secured the shelf by tightening the cramp against the wooden frame.
Old cathedrals often have iron cramps holding the stone walls together.
文法句型
fasten with a cramp
use a cramp to hold
用法筆記
This is a specialised workshop or construction term. In everyday conversation, 'clamp' is far more common.
cramp — verb
- cramppresent simple I / you / we / they
- cramps3rd person singular
- cramping-ing form
- crampedpast simple
1. to limit or restrict someone or something in a way that prevents natural develop
to limit or restrict someone or something in a way that prevents natural development, free movement, or full enjoyment of life
Living with his parents cramped Amir's social life during his first year of college.
cramp [someone's] [noun] — limits freedom
The strict dress code cramped students' ability to express themselves at school.
A tight budget cramped their plans for a long holiday abroad.
Having a small baby cramped Yuna and her husband's freedom in the early months.
The cramped office space cramped the team's creativity and made collaboration difficult.
文法句型
cramp [someone's] [activity / freedom / style]
be cramped by [something]
用法筆記
Often used in the fixed expression 'cramp someone's style,' which means to prevent someone from doing what they want or behaving naturally.
常見錯誤
2. when a muscle suddenly tightens painfully and becomes hard, making it difficult
when a muscle suddenly tightens painfully and becomes hard, making it difficult or impossible to move the affected part of the body
Deepak's leg cramped up during the last five kilometres of the marathon.
[body part] cramp up — phrasal pattern
The swimmer's arms began to cramp after an hour in the cold water.
My fingers cramped from holding the pencil for too long without taking a break.
If you do not stretch beforehand, your muscles may cramp halfway through the hike.
Anh's back cramped suddenly as she bent down to pick up the heavy box.
- go into spasm
more clinical; describes the same process of involuntary contraction
- seize up
informal; can describe both muscles and machines that stop working
文法句型
[body part] cramps (up)
begin to cramp
用法筆記
Commonly used with 'up' ('cramp up'), especially in informal speech. The verb is almost always intransitive in this sense — you do not 'cramp' something else; a body part 'cramps' or 'cramps up'.
常見錯誤
3. to fasten or hold pieces of material such as wood, stone, or metal tightly toget
to fasten or hold pieces of material such as wood, stone, or metal tightly together using a metal clip or clamp
The mason cramped the stone slabs together before the mortar dried.
cramp [pieces] together — transitive pattern
To keep the frame steady, Oliver cramped the joints on each side of the cabinet.
The dock workers cramped the heavy timbers together to prevent them from shifting at sea.
You need to cramp the two pieces firmly while the glue sets.
文法句型
cramp [something] together
cramp [something] to [something]
用法筆記
This is a technical term used mainly in carpentry, stonemasonry, and metalworking. In everyday English, 'clamp' is used instead.
cramp — adjective
- cramppositive
- crampercomparative
- crampestsuperlative
1. having very little space to move or fit into, so that people or things feel unco
having very little space to move or fit into, so that people or things feel uncomfortably squeezed together
The four of them shared a cramp flat with only one small bedroom.
cramp [flat / room / space] — attributive use
The kitchen was too cramp for two people to cook at the same time.
Passengers felt cramp in the narrow seats of the budget airline.
The storage room was dark and cramp, with barely enough room to stand.
As the family grew, their cramp apartment felt smaller every day.
文法句型
cramp quarters
cramp flat
feel cramp
用法筆記
The more common modern form of this sense is 'cramped' (e.g. 'a cramped room'). Using 'cramp' as an adjective sounds slightly old-fashioned or literary, though it is still understood.
常見錯誤
2. written in a way that is very small, squeezed together, and difficult to underst
written in a way that is very small, squeezed together, and difficult to understand or figure out, usually referring to handwriting or printed text
The doctor's cramp handwriting was almost impossible for the pharmacist to read.
cramp handwriting — attributive adjective
The old letter was written in such cramp script that I needed a magnifying glass.
Students complained that the exam used cramp fonts that hurt their eyes.
Nora left a note with cramp writing squeezed into the corner of the page.
文法句型
cramp handwriting
cramp script
用法筆記
This adjective is almost always used right before a noun (attributive position) and is less common in modern English than the synonym 'cramped'.