crutchings: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very Low (Highly specialized).Technical/Vocational (Sheep farming, agriculture).
Quick answer
What does “crutchings” mean?
The plural form of 'crutching', which refers to the act of trimming wool from around a sheep's hindquarters and tail area to prevent flystrike (a parasitic infection).
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The plural form of 'crutching', which refers to the act of trimming wool from around a sheep's hindquarters and tail area to prevent flystrike (a parasitic infection).
Can also refer, more rarely, to objects or situations that serve as makeshift supports or aids (analogous to 'crutches').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is most common in major sheep-rearing countries (e.g., UK, Australia, New Zealand). In the US, the practice is common in relevant regions, but the specific lexical item 'crutchings' may be less standardized.
Connotations
Purely practical and agricultural. No significant difference in connotation between regions where the term is used.
Frequency
Highest frequency in UK, Australian, and New Zealand agricultural texts and speech. Virtually absent in general American English.
Grammar
How to Use “crutchings” in a Sentence
The [noun: shearer/farmer] performed the crutchings.We need to bag up these crutchings separately.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “crutchings” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The shearer is crutching the ewes before lambing.
- We crutched them last week.
American English
- The rancher is crutching the sheep to prevent fly problems.
- They need to be crutched annually.
adverb
British English
- [No standard adverbial use]
American English
- [No standard adverbial use]
adjective
British English
- The crutching shed needs cleaning.
- He's a skilled crutching hand.
American English
- The crutching blade was sharpened.
- She attended a crutching demonstration.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in agricultural supply, wool brokerage, and farm management contexts.
Academic
Found in animal science, veterinary medicine, and agricultural economics papers.
Everyday
Almost never used in everyday conversation outside farming communities.
Technical
Core term in sheep shearing manuals, animal husbandry guides, and wool classing.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “crutchings”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “crutchings”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “crutchings”
- Using 'crutchings' to mean 'crutches' (walking aids).
- Misspelling as 'crunchings' or 'clutchings'.
- Assuming it is a general term for any small wool offcuts.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Only etymologically. Both come from the Old English 'crycc' for a staff or prop. 'Crutchings' refers to wool from the 'crutch' (rear end) of a sheep.
No, it is a highly specialized agricultural term. Using it in general conversation will likely cause confusion.
They are very similar. 'Crutching' often refers to trimming wool from the breech area to prevent soiling and flystrike. 'Dagging' specifically refers to removing dung-soiled wool ('dags'). The terms are frequently used interchangeably.
It is usually treated as a plural-only, uncountable noun referring to the material (e.g., 'The crutchings are dirty'). It can be countable when referring to multiple instances of the action (e.g., 'Two crutchings were performed this season'), but this is less common.
The plural form of 'crutching', which refers to the act of trimming wool from around a sheep's hindquarters and tail area to prevent flystrike (a parasitic infection).
Crutchings is usually technical/vocational (sheep farming, agriculture). in register.
Crutchings: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkrʌtʃɪŋz/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkrʌtʃɪŋz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms for this highly technical term]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a sheep on CRUTCHES because its back end is being trimmed - those trimmings are the CRUTCHINGS.
Conceptual Metaphor
PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE (for the sheep's health); WASTE BY-PRODUCT (of wool production).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'crutchings' primarily used?