/ kræmp; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
1.
[ U , C ] ( NAmE also ˈcharley horse [ C ]) a sudden pain that you get when the muscles in a particular part of your body contract, usually caused by cold or too much exercise :
( BrE )
to get cramp in your leg
( NAmE )
to get a cramp in your leg
—see also writer's cramp
2.
cramps [ pl. ] severe pain in the stomach
■ verb
[ vn ] to prevent the development or progress of sb/sth
SYN restrict :
Tighter trade restrictions might cramp economic growth.
•
IDIOMS
- cramp sb's style
••
WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English : from Middle Low German and Middle Dutch krampe ; sense 1 of the noun is via Old French crampe .