cramp

Universal Words noun, verb noun 1 [U,C] (AmE also charley horse [C]) a sudden pain that you get when the muscles in a particular part of your body tighten, usually caused by cold or too much exercise: (BrE) to get cramp in your leg * (AmE) to get a cramp in your leg seealsoWRITER'SCRAMP 2 (cramps) [pl.] severe pain in the stomach verb [VN] to prevent the development or progress of sb/sth: Tighter trade restrictions might cramp economic growth. IDIOMS cramp sb's style (informal) to stop sb from behaving in the way they want to: She didn't want me to go with her to the party in case I cramped her style.