cramp one's style (1781)

[Benjamin Zimmer]

On Fri, Nov 14, 2008 at 10:36 AM, Mark Mandel <thnidu at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> On Fri, Nov 14, 2008 at 10:15 AM, Joel S. Berson <Berson at att.net> wrote:
>
> > Not this literally, but:
> >
> > Boston Evening-Post, published as Boston Evening Post.; Date:
> > 12-30-1751; Issue: 854; Page: [1]  (EAN):
> >
> > "Certainly nothing should be retained to cramp or co[...]e [two or
> > three letters missing due to folded paper] the Genius of the Poet;
> > who requires full Liberty".
>
> "confine", perhaps?

Yep:
http://books.google.com/books?id=2MIPAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA78&dq=cramp-or-confine


--Ben Zimmer

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