crib
B1Informal (for most extended meanings), Neutral (for core meaning)
Definition
Meaning
A bed with high sides for a baby or young child.
A bed or sleeping place; a container for storing something; a student's illicit aid for copying; a literal translation used surreptitiously; a simple, basic structure; the action of stealing small items or plagiarizing.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The core meaning is universal. In UK English, 'cot' is the primary term for a baby bed, making 'crib' more formal or literary. Most extended meanings (cheating, stealing, simple structure) are informal. The verb form is primarily used in informal contexts.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
UK: 'Cot' is the standard word for a baby's bed. 'Crib' is understood but considered formal or literary for this meaning. US: 'Crib' is the standard word for a baby's bed. 'Cot' refers to a simple, portable bed.
Connotations
UK: The cheating meaning ('crib sheet') is well-known but somewhat dated. US: The cheating meaning is common and current. In both, 'crib' as a home/apartment is very informal/slang.
Frequency
Higher frequency in US English for the core meaning. In UK English, 'cot' dominates, making 'crib' less frequent. The slang meaning 'home' is equally informal in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
crib something (verb, meaning 'steal/plagiarize')crib from someone/somethingbe cribbed from somethingVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “crying in the crib (very young)”
- “crib talk (baby's pre-speech sounds)”
- “from crib to college (a lifetime of care)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Possibly in informal contexts referring to a basic starter model or template ('a crib of the business plan').
Academic
Used to refer to academic dishonesty ('using a crib', 'crib sheet').
Everyday
Common for baby furniture (US), and for informal references to cheating or one's home ('Check out my new crib').
Technical
In agriculture: a rack or manger for animal feed. In mining: a structure for supporting a roof.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He cribbed most of his essay from an old textbook.
- The design was clearly cribbed from a famous architect.
American English
- She got in trouble for cribbing the answers from her neighbor's test.
- The comedian cribbed that joke from an old routine.
adverb
British English
- No standard adverbial use.
American English
- No standard adverbial use.
adjective
British English
- The crib mattress must meet safety standards. (Formal/Literary usage)
- It was just a crib sheet to help him remember formulas.
American English
- We need to buy a new crib mattress.
- He used a crib sheet during the closed-book exam.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The baby is sleeping in her crib.
- We bought a new crib for the baby.
- He hid a crib sheet inside his calculator.
- Their first home was just a small crib in the city.
- The entire paragraph was cribbed from a Wikipedia article.
- The manger in the nativity scene is also called a crib.
- The prosecution alleged the software code was cribbed from a competitor's proprietary system.
- His thesis, while well-argued, was cribbed in part from the works of his former professor.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
A baby CRIB has high sides to conTAIN (CRIB sounds like 'CONTAIN') the baby.
Conceptual Metaphor
CONTAINER FOR SAFETY/KNOWLEDGE (A crib holds a baby safely; a crib sheet holds answers 'safely' for a cheater).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'криб' (non-existent). The core meaning translates to 'детская кроватка'. The cheating meaning is 'шпаргалка'. The slang 'home' meaning has no direct equivalent, similar to 'хата'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'crib' in UK English when 'cot' is intended for baby bed. Confusing the verb 'to crib' (steal/plagiarize) with 'to crib' as in 'to complain' (which is 'crab').
Practice
Quiz
What is the most informal/slang meaning of 'crib'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In British English, 'cot' is the standard word for a baby's bed with high sides. 'Crib' is formal/literary for this. In American English, 'crib' is the standard term, and 'cot' means a simple, portable bed.
No, the verb 'to crib', meaning to plagiarize or steal ideas, is informal and carries a negative connotation of dishonesty.
Its core meaning (baby bed) is neutral/positive. Most extended meanings (cheating, stealing, a very basic home) are informal and often negative or dismissive.
Yes, though it might be considered slightly dated in the UK, where 'cheat sheet' is equally common. In the US, 'crib sheet' and 'cheat sheet' are both widely used and understood.