I. ˈkrib noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English cribb; akin to Old High German krippa manger, and perhaps to Greek griphos reed basket
Date: before 12th century
1. : a manger for feeding animals
2. : an enclosure especially of framework: as
a. : a stall for a stabled animal
b. : a small child's bedstead with high enclosing usually slatted sides
c. : any of various devices resembling a crate or framework in structure
d. : a building for storage : bin
3.
a. : a small narrow room or dwelling : hut , shack
b. : a room or shack used for prostitution
4. : the cards discarded in cribbage for the dealer to use in scoring
5.
a. : a small theft
b. : plagiarism
c. : a literal translation ; especially : pony 3
d. : a summary and key to understanding a literary work
e. : something used for cheating in an examination
6. : creche 1
II. verb
( cribbed ; crib·bing )
Date: 1605
transitive verb
1. : confine , cramp
2. : to provide with or put into a crib ; especially : to line or support with a framework of timber
3. : pilfer , steal ; especially : plagiarize
intransitive verb
1.
a. : steal , plagiarize
b. : to use a crib : cheat
2. : to have the vice of cribbing
• crib·ber noun