Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A cramp or stiffness in a muscle, especially of the upper leg, caused by injury or excessive exertion.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun idiomatic A muscle cramp, usually in the thigh or leg.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a muscular cramp (especially in the thigh or calf) following vigorous exercise

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Originally baseball slang, of unknown origin.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

The term may date back to American slang of the 1880s, possibly from the pitcher Charlie "Old Hoss" Radbourn who is said to have suffered from cramps.

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  • Merriam-Webster Dictonary

    noun

    Etymology: from Charley, nickname for Charles

    Date: 1888

    : a muscular pain, cramping, or stiffness especially of the quadriceps that results from a strain or bruise

    February 2, 2008

  • Charlie Horse was a charming hand puppet used by puppeteer Shari Lewis. A friend of Lamb Chop.

    Shari Lewis (January 17, 1933 – August 2, 1998) was an American ventriloquist, puppeteer, and children's television show host, most popular during the 1960s.

    February 2, 2008

  • Never heard this in Australia.

    April 5, 2010