crib
crib Lexical Profile
crib Game Scores & Validity
• noun
North American A small bed for an infant or young child, typically enclosed with high slatted sides.
"The tired parents gently lowered their sleeping baby into the wooden crib."
A person's home, apartment, or primary residence.
"After the late concert, we headed back to his crib to relax and listen to some records."
A slatted bin or structure used for storing grain, corn, or animal fodder.
"The farmer loaded the freshly harvested ears of corn into the outdoor crib."
• verb
To copy another person's work illicitly or without acknowledgment; to plagiarize.
"He was caught trying to crib answers from his classmate during the final exam."
To confine or restrict tightly in a small space.
"The large dog felt cribbed and restless inside the tiny studio apartment."
To line or support a physical structure, such as the walls of a shaft or trench, with a framework of timber.
"The miners carefully cribbed the tunnel walls to prevent a catastrophic collapse."
Word Nuance & Usage
In North American English, a 'crib' is the standard term for an infant's bed, whereas in British English, 'cot' is preferred and 'crib' usually refers to a nativity scene or an animal manger.
• Rhymes for crib
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old English 'cribb' (manger, stall), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch 'krib' and German 'Krippe'. The sense of a child's bed developed in the 17th century.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.