Meaning & use
crutches
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“crutches” is a form of “crutch”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
nounplural
A pair of long sticks with a piece that fits under the arm or around the forearm, used to help someone walk when they cannot put weight on a leg.
Grammar: Used as a plural noun; the singular 'crutch' refers to one stick. When talking about the walking aid, people usually say 'a pair of crutches' or just 'crutches'.
Patterns
- on crutches
- use crutches
- walk with crutches
After breaking his ankle, he had to use crutches for six weeks.
She was still on crutches when she came back to school.
The doctor said I should keep using crutches until the pain goes away.
nouncountablefigurative
A person or thing that you rely on too much for support, often when you should be independent.
Grammar: Often used in the phrase 'a crutch' or 'crutches' in a figurative sense. It can be countable: 'He uses alcohol as a crutch.'
Patterns
- use something as a crutch
- a crutch for someone
He uses his phone as a crutch to avoid talking to people.
Some people see welfare as a crutch rather than a helping hand.
Word forms
| singular | crutch |
|---|
Common combinations
- on crutches
- He was on crutches for a month after the accident.
- a pair of crutches
- The nurse brought him a pair of crutches.
- use crutches
- You'll need to use crutches until your leg heals.
- walk with crutches
- She learned to walk with crutches after the surgery.
Synonyms and how they differ
- walking stick
- A walking stick is a single stick used for balance, not for keeping weight off a leg; crutches are usually a pair and support you under the arms.
- cane
- A cane is a light stick that helps with balance, while crutches are for when you cannot put weight on one leg.
Word family
- crutch noun
- The singular form, meaning one such support.
Commonly confused: crutches or crutch?
crutches vs crutch
Remember that 'crutch' is singular (one stick) and 'crutches' is plural (two sticks). People sometimes say 'a crutches' by mistake.
Practice
Which sentence uses the word correctly?
Choose one answer.
The correct sentence is 'She is on crutches because she hurt her knee.' 'Crutches' is plural, so we say 'on crutches' or 'a pair of crutches'. Option A uses 'a crutches', which is wrong because 'a' cannot go with a plural noun. Option C also uses 'a crutches'. Option D uses 'crutch' (singular) without 'a', which is also incorrect.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “crutches”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.