Crab"bed (kr?b"b?d), a. [See
Crab,n.] 1.
Characterized by or manifesting, sourness, peevishness, or
moroseness; harsh; cross; cynical; -- applied to feelings,
disposition, or manners.
Crabbed age and youth can not live
together.
Shak.
2. Characterized by harshness or
roughness; unpleasant; -- applied to things; as, a crabbed
taste.
3. Obscure; difficult; perplexing;
trying; as, a crabbed author. "Crabbed
eloquence." Chaucer.
How charming is divine philosophy!
Not harsh and crabbed, as dull fools suppose.
Milton.
4. Cramped; irregular; as, crabbed
handwriting.
-- Crab"bed*ly, adv. --
Crab"bed*ness, n.