Crutches: Meaning, Uses & Examples

Meaning 1：crutches (Crutches)

Crutches 🔊

/ˈkrʌtʃɪz/

A tool you hold under your arms to help you walk when your leg is hurt or weak.

crutches 🔊

➕

/ˈkrʌtʃɪz/

A pair of supports placed under the armpits to help a person walk when they have an injury or weakness in the leg.

📁 Category：Physical & Mental Health 🔖 Level：Beginner

📖 Root Explanation

Derived from Old English 'crycce', meaning staff or stick.

💡 Mnemonic

Imagine a 'crutch' as a 'c' shaped stick that helps you 'crutch' along when injured.

📖 Example

After her surgery, she needed crutches for support for a few weeks. 🔊 After her surgery, she needed crutches for support for a few weeks.

🔗 Collocations

on crutches – on crutches

use crutches – use crutches

a pair of crutches – a pair of crutches

🔄 Synonyms

walking sticks (n.) – Mobility aids similar to crutches but typically held in hands.

canes (n.) – Single-handed walking sticks used for balance.

🌱 Derivatives

crutch (n.) – A single support for walking.

crutched (adj.) – Supported by or using crutches.

📖 Cultural Story

Used since antiquity for mobility aid, crutches appear in ancient Greek art. Today they are essential in orthopedics and physical therapy.