[Strictly two words from CRAMP sb.1 and CRAMP sb.2, respectively; but these have run together in use, and have given rise to senses that partake of both notions.]
I. Connected with CRAMP sb.1
† 1. trans. To give the cramp to (a person); to cause to be seized with cramp. Obs.
1572. R. H., trans. Lauaterus’ Ghostes (1596), 185. When thou wilt crampe some man by the toes in night time.
1587. Fleming, Contn. Holinshed, III. 972/2. William Forleie … fell asleepe … and could not be wakened with pricking, cramping, or otherwise burning whatsoeuer.
1589. Pappe w. Hatchet, B. What fast a sleepe? Nay faith, Ile cramp thee till I wake thee.
a. 1700. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, Cramped, a weight with a string tied to one’s Toe, when a Sleep, much used by School-boies, one to another.
† b. To affect (a part of the body) with cramp.
1602. Marston, Ant. & Mel., II. Wks. 1856, I. 26. O how impatience cramps my cracked veins.
c. 1610. Middleton, etc. Widow, II. ii. And I take you railing at my patron, sir, I’ll cramp your joints!
1634. Ford, P. Warbeck, III. ii. I can laugh … When the gout cramps my joints.
2. To affect with the painful stiffness, numbness or contraction of the muscles which characterizes cramp; the result of a constrained position, paralysis, exposure to cold, etc. Usually in passive.
1639. [see CRAMP v. 3].
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., III. 729. When the contracted Limbs were cramp’d.
1731. Medley, Kolben’s Cape G. Hope, II. 206. Whoever touches this fish … his limbs will immediately be cramp’d and benumb’d.
1778. Mad. D’Arblay, Early Diary, 5 July. We stood till we were cramp’d to death, not daring to move.
1863. Geo. Eliot, Romola, I. v. A man with a deep-veined hand cramped by much copying of manuscripts.
1869. Goulburn, Purs. Holiness, iii. 23. A hand which was probably cramped together, and curved by the complaint.
II. Connected mainly with CRAMP sb.2, but often affected by CRAMP sb.1
† 3. To compress or squeeze (the body and limbs) with irons in punishment or torture. Contrasted with to rack. Obs.
a. 1555. Latimer, Serm. & Rem. (1845), 258. Racking, and cramping, injuring and wronging the same.
1605. B. Jonson, Volpone, V. viii. Thou art to lie in prison, cramp’d with irons, Till thou be’st sick and lame indeed.
1639. Massinger, Unnat. Combat, I. i. Now, cramped with iron, Hunger, and cold, they hardly do support me.
b. fig. and transf. To compress forcibly.
1673. A. Walker, Lees Lachrymans, 12. Levelling Principles which … Would wrack and cramp all conditions of Men into one size and Stature.
1705. Addison, Italy, 323 (J.). The Antiquaries … are for cramping their Subjects into as narrow a Space as they can. Ibid. (1711), Spect., No. 58, ¶ 10. The Verses were to be cramped or extended to the Dimensions of the Frame that was prepared for them.
4. To confine narrowly, fetter or shut in (in space), so as to restrict the physical freedom of. Often with up.
1683. Apol. Prot. France, iv. 35. They intended to seize upon him and the Admiral, to cramp the one in Prison, and cut off the others head.
1705. trans. Bosman’s Guinea, 43. To banish, or at least cramp Akim so that he should not be able to go far inland.
1726. Leoni, Alberti’s Archit., I. 89 a. The Camp ought not … to be so crampt up and confined, as not to afford sufficient room.
1796. C. Marshall, Garden., xvii. (1813), 278. Bad planting, by cramping the roots, &c. will often induce sickliness.
1831. Darwin, in Life & Lett. (1887), I. 212. My objection to the vessel is it’s smallness, which cramps one so for room.
1841. D’Israeli, Amen. Lit., 699. A company of puppy-dogs cramped up in a bag.
† b. To cramp in: to crush into a space where there is not sufficient room.
1605. Bacon, Adv. Learn., II. xxi. § 8. Those which crampe in [into a writing] matters impertinent.
5. fig. To restrict or confine within injuriously narrow limits (any action or operations).
1625. Bacon, Ess. Usury (Arb.), 544. It is impossible to conceiue the Number of Inconueniences that will ensue, if Borrowing be Cramped.
c. 1645. [see b].
1665. Glanvill, Sceps. Sci., 3. The sloath and laziness which … hath crampt endeavour.
1724. Swift, Drapier’s Lett., Wks. 1755, V. II. 74. Those who have used power to cramp liberty.
1749. Berkeley, Word to Wise, Wks. 1871, III. 443. The hardness of the landlord cramps the industry of the tenant.
1780. T. Jefferson, Corr., Wks. 1859, I. 242. The want of money cramps every effort.
1873. Dixon, Two Queens, I. II. vii. 109. Trade was cramped by laws and customs.
b. To compress or narrow (the mind, faculties, etc.) by preventing their free growth.
c. 1645. Howell, Lett. (1650), II. 33. The last week you sent me word that you wer … crampd with Busines … if you write not this week … I shall think you are crampd in your affection rather than your fingers.
a. 1704. T. Brown, Praise of Wealth, Wks. 1730, I. 85. Poverty cramps the mind.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 160, ¶ 9. They cramp their own Abilities too much by Imitation.
1818. Mrs. Shelley, Frankenst., iv. A selfish pursuit had cramped and narrowed me.
1877. ‘H. A. Page,’ De Quincey, I. xiii. 273. [It] chilled his energies, and cramped his powers of production.
III. Connected with CRAMP sb.2 alone.
6. To fasten or secure with a cramp or cramps; esp. in Building, to join stones (together) with cramp-irons. † To cramp up: to do up or repair by this means. Obs.
1654. Trapp, Comm. Ezra x. iii. Tottering houses must be crampt with iron barres, or they will soon down.
1675. Evelyn, Mem. (1867), II. 102. This vessel was flat-bottomed…. It consisted of two distinct keels cramped together with huge timbers.
1744. Knight, in Phil. Trans., XLIII. 162. A Steel Bar … capped or armed with Iron at each End, cramped with Silver.
1793. Smeaton, Edystone L., § 93. The stones … were all cramped with iron, each to its neighbour.
1800. Wellington, in Gurw., Desp., I. 113. The 1st regiment will have their gallopers … which I have cramped up for them; it is impossible to do anything to those belonging to the 4th regiment.
1885. Manch. Weekly Times, 18 July, Suppl. 8/2. Supported by iron braces, which were cramped on to the central core [of the Statue of Liberty].
fig. 1780. Burke, Sp. at Bristol, Wks. III. 419. The diversified but connected fabrick of universal justice, is well cramped and bolted together in all its parts.
7. Shoe-making. To form (the instep of a boot, etc.) on a boot-cramp.
1864. in Webster; and later Dicts.
