What is "crabbed"

Usage examples of "crabbed".

Myles was replete with old Latin gestes, fables, and sermons picked up during his school life, in those intervals of his more serious studies when Prior Edward had permitted him to browse in the greener pastures of the Gesta Romanorum and the Disciplina Clericalis of the monastery library, and Gascoyne was never weary of hearing him tell those marvellous stories culled from the crabbed Latin of the old manuscript volumes.

It was in low Latin, and full of the strange, crabbed handwriting of Claes van der Heyl, being evidently the diary or notebook kept by him between 1560 and 1580.

Toch crabbed down the slope, raised his obsidian-studded club, and thumped Kab repeatedly.

Murdoch, Jasmine, and Peregrine crabbed to a mast and unlashed eight-foot boarding pikes.

It was astonishing to see how the lineaments bloomed beneath the sure gestures of his crabbed hands.

Ryan said grimly, coming in at the fourth scalie in a crabbed, shuffling walk, feinting with the panga at groin and then the throat.

Daniel did not have to bend down and squint at those crabbed letters to know it was Shive Tor.

The signature below was a crabbed scrawl that might denote Roger Aston or Barbara Walters, for all he could tell.

The tin disappeared into the folds of the shawls, and a crabbed finger shook in admonishment.

And therewithall looking about for some cudgel, hee espied where lay a fagot of wood, and chusing out a crabbed truncheon of the biggest hee could finde, did never cease beating of mee poore wretch, until such time as by great noyse and rumbling, hee heard the doores of the house burst open, and the neighbours crying in most lamentable sort, which enforced him being stricken in feare, to fly his way.

I my selfe did secretly pitty his estate, and bewaile his evill fortune : for she had not one fault alone, but all the mischiefes that could be devised : shee was crabbed, cruell, lascivious, drunken, obstinate, niggish, covetous, riotous in filthy expenses, and an enemy to faith and chastity, a despise of all the Gods, whom other did honour, one that affirmed that she had a God by her selfe, wherby she deceived all men, but especially her poore husband, one that abandoned her body with continuall whoredome.

It was an envelope from Brazos Electric Utility and there was writing on the back, small, crabbed, printing in ink.

For though thine husband armed be in mail, The arrows of thy crabbed eloquence Shall pierce his breast, and eke his aventail.

Though in a script too crabbed and archaic for Boq to decipher, perhaps this document supported the fable of a Kumbric Witch spell that gave the Animals the gifts of speech, memory, and remorse.

Ne dreed hem nat, doth hem no reverence, For though thyn housbonde armed be in maille, The arwes of thy crabbed eloquence Shal perce his brest and eek his aventaille.