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

Derived Forms

• ˈcrimper, noun
• ˈcrimpy, adjective

Other Words From

• crimper noun

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

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

From BBC

The Swiss bank said inflation could stay high in some countries and “geopolitical tensions” could crimp economic activity around the world.

From Seattle Times

The 1980s: when the hair was crimped, the pants were parachute and the movie stars were as fresh-faced as could be.

From New York Times

Those challenges haven’t entirely crimped interest in one of the world’s most popular social media applications.

From New York Times

So, the decision also blocks new field testing in greenhouses or open fields, crimping research until an approved monitoring scheme is in place.

From Science Magazine

More About Crimp

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.

Where does oeuvre come from?

The first records of crimp in English come from the 1300s. It comes from the Old English gecrympan, meaning “to curl.” This word is derived from crump, meaning “crooked.”

Hair can be curled using a curling iron, but it can be crimped using another type of iron that produces small, angular waves. Hair crimping was particularly popular in the 1980s (but it still looks rad). Pie crust dough is crimped by hand. You use your fingers to pinch a wavy pattern around the edge. A similar crimping technique is used to seal together the two sheets of dough that form a dumpling.

A lot of other things can be crimped. When you put a crimp in a piece of metal, it’s often to make it less flexible or so that two two pieces will hold together. Sometimes, this is done with a special tool called a crimper, a crimping tool, or crimping pliers.

All of these meanings involving pinching and creasing led to a metaphorical sense: to put a crimp in something is to disrupt or restrict it. Road work puts a crimp in your commute. Unemployment puts a crimp in consumer spending.

Crimp is also an old slang term referring to a person who “persuades” (swindles) people into naval or military service. It can also be used as a verb meaning to do so. It has fallen out of use, hopefully because everyone agrees it’s best to keep the crimping to hair and pie crusts.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to crimp?

• crimpy (adjective)
• crimped (adjective, past tense verb)
• crimper (noun)
• uncrimped (adjective, verb)
• recrimped (adjective, verb)

What are some synonyms for crimp?

• crease
• pleat
• pinch
• wave
• kink

What are some words that share a root or word element with crimp? 

• crimple
• crumple

What are some words that often get used in discussing crimp?

 

• hair
• pie
• dough
• edge
• wire

How is crimp used in real life?

Crimp appears in all kinds of contexts involving folds, ridges, waves, and things being pinched together. It’s especially used in the contexts of hair and pie crust, as well as in the phrase put a crimp in something.

Crimped hair should make a comeback. pic.twitter.com/9dqOTybGqX

— PhantoMantis (@PhantoMantis) May 5, 2020

Here’s everything you need to know to roll and crimp pie dough like a pro: https://t.co/luBXpCyS8o! 🥧💯 #UltimateThanksgivingChallenge pic.twitter.com/NHgG2gcOsL

— Food Network (@FoodNetwork) November 4, 2019

Cole certainly has ace capabilities, but he ranked 53rd among #MLB starters (minimum 250 IP) with a 103 ERA+ over the past two seasons. That might have put a crimp into the packages the #Pirates were offered for him.

— Jerry Crasnick (@jcrasnick) January 14, 2018

 

 

Try using oeuvre!

Which of the following words would NOT be used to describe something that’s crimped? 

A. creased
B. straight
C. wavy
D. pinched