cramp
1
7.3
- noun
- /kræmp/
- UK
:
abrazadera
- The carpenter used a cramp to hold the wooden planks together while he glued them.
Examples
-
But because archaeologists actually found a few of these metal cramps used by them on site, we now know they were using a very strong copper-arsenic-nickel alloy, which made a much stronger final product.
-
On the back wall, the grounded chimney turned up like a cramp iron.
Fiction book (1996) -
To ensure everything was secure, she placed a cramp around the metal pipes during installation.
-
He tightened the cramp to keep the pieces of the frame from shifting during assembly.
Synonyms
92
3.3
A tool that holds things tightly while you work
A metal strip with bent ends that holds stone blocks together
A metal clamp shaped like a C that holds wood or metal firmly while you work
A strong clamp with soft jaws that holds wood firmly without damage
A tool that holds a piece on a workbench firmly while you cut or drill
A tool that holds a pipe firmly while you cut or thread it
A tool that pulls straps or bolts together to make them more secure
Idioms
Compounds
- Specialized
1
7.5
A painful, tight feeling in the hand or fingers after writing for a long time
- Specialized
Painful muscle twitching that comes and goes, sometimes with seizures, from low calcium or vitamin D
- Offensive
A painful tightness in the hand after doing the same movement too much, for example when typing or gaming
How Secure
Surface Forms
Etymology
Cramp for a metal strip comes from the old use of a metal 'hook' or clamp to hold stones or wood firmly together, so a cramp is a tool that keeps parts in place.