Severely damaging or impairing someone's ability to function, or causing someone to become disabled.
From 'cripple,' an Old English word 'crypel' related to creeping or crawling motions. Originally meant someone who moved with difficulty; now used metaphorically to describe any severe impairment.
The word 'cripple' originally meant 'someone who creeps'—Old English peoples described disability by movement patterns rather than medical categories. Over centuries it developed a negative tone, which is why modern disability advocates prefer more specific and respectful terms.
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