cripple² v [T] 1 to hurt someone so they can no longer walk 使〔某人〕受伤致残: Many people are crippled by car accidents. 许多人因为车祸而残废。 2 to seriously damage something or make it much weaker 破坏〔某物〕; 削弱〔某物〕: The country's economy has been crippled by drought. 旱灾已使那个国家的经济元气大伤。