crabbed etymology

Etymology:

• From Middle English crabbed, from Old English crabboð, from Vulgar Latin crabitu-, crabbitu-, *crabetum, from Latin crābes, a basket or crate commonly made of wicker.

Meaning:

• Peevish, irritable, ill-humored.
• Narrow, cramped, or crowded.
• Difficult or unclear in writing or speech.

Origin:

The word "crabbed" originally referred to the wicker baskets or crates used to catch crabs. These baskets were typically made narrow and cramped, with a rough texture. Over time, the term came to be applied figuratively to describe people or things that were similarly narrow, cramped, or difficult to deal with.

The figurative use of "crabbed" as "peevish" or "irritable" may have arisen from the association of crabs with being caught in a trap or being handled roughly. The word "crabbed" can also be used to describe writing or speech that is difficult to understand due to its cramped or unclear nature.

crabbed relate terms

• crab

  Etymology The word crab has multiple origins Middle English crabb Old English

• carve

  Etymology Middle English carven to cut wood or stone Old English ceorfan to cu

• crab

  Etymology The word crab has multiple origins Middle English crabb Old English

• crabbed

  Etymology From Middle English crabbed from Old English crabboð from Vulgar Latin cra

• crab

  Etymology The word crab has multiple origins Middle English crabb Old English

• shrewd

  Etymology The word shrewd comes from the Old English word scrēawd meaning cunning

• sour

  Etymology The word sour comes from the Old English word sūr which is believed to b

• complain

  Etymology Origin Old French complaindre a derivative of Late Latin complangere mean

• head

  Etymology The word head comes from the Old English word heafod which itself derives

• plain

  Etymology Plain derives from the Old French word plain which in turn comes from the

• scuttle

  Etymology Middle English scutte from Old French escoute from Late Latin excutta f

• gripe

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• maneuver

  Etymology The word maneuver comes from the French word manœuvre which in turn deri

• pinot

  Etymology The etymology of the word pinot is uncertain but there are several theories

• point

  Etymology The word point comes from the Latin word punctum which means a prick a d