crib, v.⁴ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

crib v.⁴

1. to confine [first used in Macbeth, Act iii. sc. 4 as ‘(But now I am) cabined, cribbed, confined, bound in’].

1833		John Bull 14 July 5/1: Does [he] believe [...] that the operatives want to be ‘cribbed, cabined, and confined’ on a Sunday.
1850		Manchester Spy (NH) 7 Sept. n.p.: He must be ‘cabined, cribbed, confined’.
1852		G.C. Mundy Our Antipodes I 19: Where is a wretch more literally ‘cabined, cribbed, confined,’ than on board a ship.
1859		G.F. Atkinson Curry & Rice (3 edn) n.p.: Eat the air? Yes, and a grateful refreshment indeed, after being cribbed, cabined, and confined [...] for the many and the dreary hours of an Indian summer day.
1867		Cambria Freeman (Edensburg, PA) 17 Oct. 3/2: Another individual who was ‘on the wing,’ induced by over indulgence [...] was cabbaged and cribbed for getting obstreperous.
1884		‘Rolf Boldrewood’ Old Melbourne Memories 137: The fierce savages [...] refused to thrive or multiply when ‘cabined, cribbed. confined.’.
1895		Truth (Sydney) 13 Jan. 5/6: ‘Cribbed, cabined, and confined’ in the surrounding lanes are little colonies of mulattoes.
1904		Sydney Sportsman (Surry Hills, NSW) 9 Mar. 3/5: ‘“I was cabined, cribbed, confined”,’ quoted the club bore.

2. (also crib out, crib up) to stay in a place.

1938		X. Herbert Capricornia (1939) 452: He’s here all right — cribbed.
1969		‘Iceberg Slim’ Pimp 265: The hotel where Kim, my newest, prettiest girl, was cribbing.
1969		(ref. to 1950s) ‘Cupid’s Story’ in R.L. Keiser Vice Lords 59: My partner [...] he cribbed out around there too.
1979		‘Iceberg Slim’ Airtight Willie and Me 65: She’s cribbing up in the hotel where we used to crib.
1992		J. Mowry Way Past Cool 129: If nothing else, just knowing where Deek cribbed could be a major advantage. [Ibid.] 226: I know where Deek be cribbin out.
2006		Burns & Pelecanos ‘That’s Got His Own’ Wire ser. 4 ep. 12 [TV script] Me and Bug got our own spot so you can come and crib with us if you want.
2012		G. Pelecanos (con. 1972) What It Was 123: I’m guessing Jones is cribbed up with jefferson somewhere.

3. (US black) to live one’s uneventful, daily life.

1972

D. Claerbaut Black Jargon in White America 62: cribbing v. living; existing.

4. to sleep.

1993		J. Mowry Six Out Seven (1994) 332: We eat good today. Just wanna crib.
2002		G. Pelecanos Hell to Pay 9: He got a woman he cribs with on the side?

5. (US black) to go home.

1990

N.Y. Mag. 28 May 27/1: [black high school slang] ‘Let’s go crib’ means let’s go home.

6. to offer a bed or home to.

2002

J. Ridley Conversation with the Mann 88: The Village cribbed every fresh artist, every new musician, and every cat and kitten who desired to be one.