1
n. be on crutches
表示因伤或术后依靠双拐行走的状态，crutch 常用复数。
He was on crutches for a month after the accident.
事故后他拄了一个月的拐杖。
拐杖
crutches — plural of crutch
先理解核心含义，再看它在真实句子里的用法。
拐杖
a wooden or metal staff that fits under the armpit and reaches the ground, used as a support when walking
He was on crutches for a month after the accident.
事故后他拄了一个月的拐杖。
拐杖；腋下支撑以减轻腿部负重的助行器具。
A device to assist in motion as a cane, especially one that provides support under the arm to reduce weight on a leg.
拐杖,腋下支撑用的木制或金属杖
a wooden or metal staff that fits under the armpit and reaches to the ground; used by disabled person while walking
支撑的事物或人,常贬义指非必要且导致不健康依赖的依靠；依托。
Something or someone that supports, often used negatively to indicate that it is not needed and causes an unhealthful dependency; a prop
权宜之计
anything that serves as an expedient
He used a crutch for six weeks after breaking his leg.
他腿骨折后用了六个星期的拐杖。
AI contextual example
She leaned her crutches against the wall before sitting down.
她坐下前把拐杖靠在墙上。
AI contextual example
The doctor said he would need a crutch until his ankle healed.
医生说他需要拐杖，直到脚踝痊愈。
AI contextual example
he uses drugs as a psychological crutch
他把毒品当作心理上的支撑
WordNet
表示因伤或术后依靠双拐行走的状态，crutch 常用复数。
He was on crutches for a month after the accident.
事故后他拄了一个月的拐杖。
比喻用法，指把某事物当作精神支撑或逃避现实的手段，常含贬义。
He uses work as a crutch to avoid dealing with his feelings.
他把工作当作拐杖，用来逃避处理自己的情绪。
动词 crutch 意为“用拐杖或类似方式支撑”，是及物动词，使用较少。
She crutched her friend to the first-aid station.
她撑着朋友去了急救站。
Not this
He broke his leg, so he walks with crutch.
Use this
He broke his leg, so he walks with a crutch.
crutch 是可数名词，单数形式不能裸用；汉语“拄拐杖”没有冠词，因此学习者常漏掉 a。英语中可数名词单数前需要限定词，所以加上 a。
Not this
He goes to school by crutches.
Use this
He goes to school on crutches.
表示“拄着（双）拐”的固定搭配是 on crutches；介词 by 用于表示交通工具（by bus），不能用于 crutches。因此把 by 改为 on，并保持 crutches 的复数形式。
Not this
He crutched slowly to the door.
Use this
He walked slowly to the door on crutches.
crutch 作动词是及物动词，意为“用拐杖支撑/搀扶”，不能表示“拄拐行走”；要表达“拄着拐杖走”需用 walk + on crutches，而不能直接把 crutch 当不及物动词用。
Focus on the distinctions below. Other candidates are kept compact until a reliable usage note is available.
拄拐杖行走
For two months after surgery, she had to walk with crutches.
手术后的两个月里，她不得不拄着拐杖行走。
拄着拐杖
He is on crutches after a skiing accident.
滑雪事故后，他拄着拐杖。
一副拐杖
The hospital provided a pair of crutches for the patient.
医院给病人提供了一副拐杖。
使用拐杖
She learned how to use crutches before leaving the hospital.
她离开医院前学会了如何使用拐杖。
情感寄托
Some people rely on social media as an emotional crutch.
有些人把社交媒体当作情感寄托。
把某物当作拐杖（指依赖某物来应对困难）
He uses gambling as a crutch instead of facing his problems.
他用赌博作为精神拐杖，而不是直面自己的问题。
情感寄托，精神支柱
For her, the diary is an emotional crutch.
对她来说，这本日记是一种情感寄托。
口头禅（指讲话中无意识反复使用的词或短语）
The word 'basically' is his verbal crutch.
“基本上”这个词是他的口头禅。
Use crutches naturally, then get feedback on meaning, tone, grammar, and phrasing.
Revisit a common error or keep this word in your review list.
记住 crutch 中间的 t 像拐杖顶端的横木, 卡在腋下支撑身体。
语域：neutral 常见场景：hospital rehabilitation、daily walking after leg injury、medical supply store 此义项指帮助行走的拐杖，多用于医疗、康复和日常对话中。语域上通常偏中性，书面和口语都常见，没有明显的正式或随意色彩。
Crutch rhymes with hutch, clutch, Dutch, such, and touch: all have the stressed sound /ʌtʃ/. Notice spelling differences: such has no 't', and touch uses 'ou' for /ʌ/. Beware lookalikes such as match, patch, catch, and watch, which end in -tch but are pronounced /ætʃ/ or /ɒtʃ/, not /ʌtʃ/; butch also shares the -utch spelling but is /bʊtʃ/.
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.