1
- mass noun painful involuntary contraction of a muscle or muscles, typically caused by fatigue or strain（常指疲劳或紧张导致的）痉挛; 痛性痉挛：
an attack of cramp
痉挛发作
count noun he suffered severe cramps in his foot.他的脚抽筋得厉害。
1.1
cramps
N. Amer. abdominal pain caused by menstruation〈北美〉（行经引起的）腹绞痛。
2
- a tool, typically shaped like a capital G, for clamping two objects together for gluing or other work（常指形状如大写G字母的）夹钳。
2.1
- （亦作cramp-iron）a metal bar with bent ends for holding masonry together铁夹钳。
1
- with obj. restrict or inhibit the development of限制（或束缚）…的发展：
tighter rules will cramp economic growth.
更严格的规定会束缚经济的发展。
2
- with obj. fasten with a cramp or cramps用夹钳夹紧; 用铁夹钳固定：
cramp the gates to the posts
用夹钳把大门固定在柱子上。
3
- no obj. suffer from sudden and painful contractions of a muscle or muscles抽筋, 痉挛; 绞痛。
短语
cramp someone's style
- informal prevent a person from acting freely or naturally〈非正式〉使某人不能自由行动, 使某人受到约束。
词源
late Middle English:from Middle Low German and Middle Dutch krampe; sense 1 of the noun is via Old French crampe.