: a support typically fitting under the armpit for use by the disabled in walking
b
: a source or means of support or assistance that is relied on heavily or excessively
They refuse to take any pills. They don't want to use drugs as a crutch. Maya Pines
Even many atheists would agree that believing that God cares about you or that your life is part of a cosmic plan can be a powerful source of hope (or, to put it pejoratively, a crutch). Virginia Postrel
2
: a forked leg rest constituting the pommel of a sidesaddle
Almost eight years to the day later, a little more wrinkled and worn and walking with the help of a forearm crutch after a second hip replacement surgery, Snyder sat in that same building to say goodbye. Eric Walden, The Salt Lake Tribune, 10 June 2022 The Federal Reserve’s effort to cool the economy also means that a crutch for investors over the past two years, cheap borrowing costs and easy access to capital that helped fuel a staggering rally in stocks, is starting to fade.New York Times, 9 May 2022 The Capitol rioters from the Lone Star State are accused of wielding a skateboard, a hatchet, a crutch, zip tie restraints, a desk drawer, a Trump flag and a lit firecracker. Gabrielle Banks, San Antonio Express-News, 6 Jan. 2022 The technology offers a nice, modern crutch, but the camera can distort distance and depth and never offers a full-view picture of what is happening around the car. Hannah Elliott, Bloomberg.com, 17 Sep. 2021 Standing 10 games over .500 without Tatis calls for deep breaths, but this team cannot lean on that convenient crutch. Bryce Millercolumnist, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 July 2022 Dorka got her wrist cast off today and Caroline is now on one crutch instead of two. Lila Bromberg, Hartford Courant, 25 May 2022 Plus, leaders often have to find ways to maintain and measure productivity across different schedules without the crutch of face-to-face communication. Yec, Forbes, 28 June 2022 Roe was its crutch, an extraconstitutional imposition of the Court’s will that never had any moral or legal legitimacy. Rich Lowry, National Review, 27 June 2022
Verb
At 2:45, Maddow crutched in silently, stood with her back to her staff and observed the list, drawing a thick black line next to topics that interested her. Amanda Hess, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2019 Thorson, now a grad student holding an undergraduate degree in communication studies, remains the relentlessly positive team-first guy who insisted on crutching to the NU sideline to watch the second half of the Music City Bowl. Teddy Greenstein, chicagotribune.com, 2 July 2018 Scalise still needs either crutches or a cane to get around after having nine surgeries to repair his pelvis, hip and left femur left shattered by bullets, CNN reported. Natalie Dreier, ajc, 14 June 2018 When Purdue played Nebraska about a month later, Tyler Trent crutched out to midfield for the coin toss. Gregg Doyel, Indianapolis Star, 15 Mar. 2018 He was recorded crutching down a hallway at Arrowhead Stadium Sunday. Jacob Klinger, cleveland.com, 18 Oct. 2017 See More
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English crucche, from Old English crycc; akin to Old High German krucka crutch
First Known Use
Noun
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a