Also 5–9 crampette, (8 cramp-bit, 9 crampit). [app. a deriv. of CRAMP sb.2]
1. The chape of the scabbard of a sword; occasionally used in Heraldry as a charge.
1489. Wardr. Acc., in Fairholt (1885), II. 136. ij crampettes for the king’s sword.
1515. Will of R. West (Somerset Ho.). My best goblet with a cover with Crampettes uppon the knopp.
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, III. 301/2. A Crampette, or a little Crampe … some term … a Crampnett.
1708. J. Chamberlayne, St. Gt. Brit., II. III. X. (1743), 429. (Scottish Regalia—the Sword of State) On the scabbard are placed four round plates of silver over gilt, two of them near to the crampet are enamelled with blue.
1868. Cussans, Her., vii. 103. The Crampette is an infrequent Charge.
2. = CRAMP-IRON 2. (? error.)
1766. Porny, Heraldry, Gloss., Crampette, a small piece of iron, commonly called cramp-iron bent at each end, by which two bodies are held together.
3. Sc. = CRAMPON 3; esp. one formerly used by curlers; hence, applied to an iron foot-board laid on the ice for the player to steady himself while delivering the stone.
1638. H. Adamson, Muses Threnodie (1774), 149 (Jam.). We … clam the Dragon hole, With crampets on our feet, and clubs in hand.
1789. D. Davidson, Thoughts on Seasons, 160. Their crampets o’ the trusty steel, Like bucklers broad did glance.
1890. J. Kerr, Hist. Curling, II. i. 177. The use of crampits attached to the feet was forbidden, as they injured the ice. Ibid., III. iii. 408. After he has taken his place on the crampit every curler should give the soles of his stones a rub.
