cramped
UK: /kræmpt/ | US: /kræmpt/
adj. 1. confined and lacking space; uncomfortably tight or crowded
adj. 2. (of handwriting) small and difficult to read
The word "cramped" derives from the Middle English "crampe," meaning a contraction or tightness, which itself comes from Old French "crampe" (a spasm or constraint). The root "cramp" implies restriction or confinement, while the suffix "-ed" turns it into an adjective describing a state of being constrained. Over time, "cramped" evolved to describe both physical tightness (e.g., a small room) and figurative constraints (e.g., cramped handwriting).
The tiny apartment felt cramped with all the furniture.
Her handwriting was so cramped that it was hard to decipher.
We sat in a cramped booth at the diner.
The cramped conditions on the subway made the commute unpleasant.
His style of writing is cramped and lacks fluidity.