crimp

¹

[krimp]

verb (used with object)

1. to press into small regular folds; make wavy.

2. to curl (hair), especially with the use of a curling iron.

3. to press or draw together, as the ends of something.

4. to check, restrain, or inhibit; hinder.

   Production was crimped by a shortage of workers.

5. Cooking.

   1. to pinch and press down the edges of (a pie crust), especially to seal together the top and bottom layers of pastry.

   2. to gash (the flesh of a live fish or of one just killed) with a knife to make more crisp when cooked.

6. to produce a corrugated surface in; corrugate, as sheet metal, cardboard, etc.

7. to bend (leather) into shape.

8. Metalworking.

   1. to bend the edges of (skelp) before forming into a tube.

   2. to fold the edges of (sheet metal) to make a lock seam.

noun

1. the act of crimping.

2. a crimped condition or form.

3. Usually crimps. waves or curls, especially in hair that has been crimped or that displays a crimped pattern.

4. the waviness of wool fibers as naturally grown on sheep.

5. the waviness imparted to natural or synthetic fibers by weaving, knitting, plaiting, or other processes.

6. a crease formed in sheet metal or plate metal to make the material less flexible or for fastening purposes.

crimp

²

[krimp]

noun

1. a person engaged in enlisting sailors, soldiers, etc., by persuasion, swindling, or coercion.

verb (used with object)

1. to enlist (sailors, soldiers, etc.) by such means.

crimp

¹

/ krɪmp /

verb

1. to fold or press into ridges

2. to fold and pinch together (something, such as the edges of two pieces of metal)

3. to curl or wave (the hair) tightly, esp with curling tongs

4. to decorate (the edge of pastry) by pinching with the fingers to give a fluted effect

5. to gash (fish or meat) with a knife to make the flesh firmer and crisper when cooked

6. to bend or mould (leather) into shape, as for shoes

7. metallurgy to bend the edges of (a metal plate) before forming into a cylinder

8. informal,  to hinder

noun

1. the act or result of folding or pressing together or into ridges

2. a tight wave or curl in the hair

3. a crease or fold in a metal sheet

4. the natural wave of wool fibres

crimp

²

/ krɪmp /

noun

1. (formerly) a person who swindled or pressganged men into naval or military service

verb

1. to recruit by coercion or under false pretences

Other Word Forms

• crimper noun
• crimpy adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of crimp¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English crympen, crimpen “to contract together,” Old English gecrympan “to curl,” derivative of crump “crooked”; cramp ¹ ( def. )

Origin of crimp²

First recorded in 1630–40; special use of crimp ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of crimp¹

Old English crympan; related to crump bent, Old Norse kreppa to contract, Old High German crumpf, Old Swedish crumb crooked; see _cramp ¹

Origin of crimp²

C17: of unknown origin

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. put a crimp in, to interfere with; hinder.

   His broken leg put a crimp in their vacation plans.

Example Sentences

She was sorely disappointed when those the advisory threatened to put a crimp in those plans.

From Los Angeles Times

The trend has crimped revenue to companies that own cable channels, including Paramount.

From Los Angeles Times

Indeed, a sudden spike in inflation seemed to put an instant crimp on his tariff strategy.

From Salon

Though trade friction would probably crimp the company’s exports, she wouldn’t talk about what may come down the pike.

From Los Angeles Times

The best performing device was called a SeaTrkr tag, which is “crimped” into the bears’ fur.

From BBC

When To Use

What does crimp mean?

Crimp most commonly means to press into small folds or ridges or to make wavy (as can be done to hair), or to pinch together or press down the edges of something (as is done with the edges of pie crust).Crimp can be used as a verb in many other specific ways that are similar to these general senses. It can also be used as a noun referring to something in the shape of a wave or a small fold, as in corrugated metal or hair that’s been crimped.Crimp can also mean to hinder or inhibit, especially to make a process less efficient. It can also be used as a noun meaning something that’s a hindrance or impediment, especially in the phrase put a crimp in, as in The driver shortage is really going to put a crimp in our delivery system. Example: Crimping the edges of the pie crust before you bake it will make it look nice, but more importantly it will prevent juices from the filling from bubbling out.