some questions!

[Jenny Lau]

I read an article talking about a man with juvenile rheumatoid. Some sentences confuse me:
1 crabbed?
My hands grew so crabbed that I could barely hold a pencil.
What does "crabbed" mean?
2 stop me cold?
The disease had stopped me cold. I’d sworn it wouldn’t, but it did. I was 16.
What is the meaning of "stop me cold"?
3 I was limited to an awkward dog paddle.
What is a dog paddle?
4 I passed my GED. I took the SAT and ACT college entrance exams.
What do "SAT" and "ACT" stand for?

[RonBee]

I think crabbed means the same thing as cramped.

The phrase stopped me cold means that the thing prevented the person from doing what he wanted to do. A serious disease might stop a person cold in the sense that it will prevent a person from working or doing other things he or she is used to doing.

A dog paddle is a type of swimming motion like that performed by dogs.

SAT stands for Scholastic Aptitude Test. It's a test given to high school students to see how well they are likely to do in college. See: http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/featur...fid=1861701427

ACT stands for American College Test. It's a standard college entrance exam.

:)

[Tdol]

'Crabbed' has an association with age to me, implying bent and gnarled.

[Jenny Lau]

"Crabbed" gives me an impression of the bend and gnarled, too. just like the big joint of the crab, does that make sense?
As to other questions, I totally understand now, thank you RonBee!

[Casiopea]

You're right!
The adjective "crabbed" comes from the noun "crab". To describe hands as 'crabbed' means that the hands are shaped like the claws of a crab.

All the best,

[Tdol]

I must confess that I hadn't made that connection.

[RonBee]

"Crabbed" gives me an impression of the bend and gnarled, too. just like the big joint of the crab, does that make sense?

It makes perfect sense. As Cas noted, "crabbed" focuses on the appearance of the hand in such a situation. (Say: "bent and gnarled")

As to other questions, I totally understand now, thank you RonBee!

You're welcome! (Thank Onelook too.)

:D

[Jenny Lau]

You're welcome! (Thank Onelook too.)
:D

It seems that I've made progress in English learning, and guessed something right this time. I owe this much to your help, really. And now, another question, what does "onelook" mean, Ronbee?

[Tdol]

www.onelook.com is an excellent online dictionary.

[Jenny Lau]

Thank u,Tdol. I don't know this website before. It is indeed a good online dictionary!