Definitions

1. noun

A staff or stick used as a support for an injured or weak limb

“She used a crutch to help her walk after the surgery.”

2. noun

Something that provides temporary or artificial support

“The company’s success was seen as a crutch by their competitors.”

3. verb

To rely heavily on something

“The team has been crutching on their star player for too long.”

4. verb

To support or lean on something

“He has been crutching on his family for years.”

5. noun

A literary or rhetorical device in which a word or phrase is repeated for emphasis

“The poet used a crutch to emphasize the theme of the poem.”