Etymology: Probably < crimp v.¹, although the motivation for the name is unclear. Perhaps compare crimp n.² 4. However, compare also French †grimpe and German †Krimpen, †Grimpen denoting card games, perhaps related to French †grimpe denoting three of a kind in the game of brelan.

Etymology: Origin uncertain. If sense 3a were the original meaning and had developed from the sense ‘to press or impress (seamen, etc.)’ an etymology < crimp v.¹ would seem plausible, but this seems unlikely, because the meaning common to the senses at branch I. seems instead to be ‘agent, intermediary, broker, procurer’, and it seems more likely that the specific meaning at sense 3a developed from this more general meaning. It is possible that branch II. may show a different word; compare also crimp v.²

Etymology: < crimp v.¹

Etymology: Origin uncertain. Relationship with crimp v.¹ seems likely, but derivation from the verb would be unusual, and it seems unlikely that the present word shows the reflex of a cognate adjective from the same Germanic base, since there are no attestations before the 16th cent. However, perhaps compare Middle High German krimpf crooked, curved, crinkled up, which could show a cognate; for a similar semantic development compare crisp adj. Alternatively, the word could show an imitative formation, perhaps suggested in form by the existence of crimp v.¹, or it could perhaps show a variant of crisp adj. resulting from association with crimp v.¹ Compare also crump adj.²

Etymology: Probably < Old English crump crooked, bent (see crump adj.¹), with i-mutation caused by the verb-forming suffix. In later use perhaps influenced or reinforced by Middle Dutch crimpen (also crempen ) (strong verb) to contract or draw oneself together, to shrink, to become wrinkled or shrivelled, to cringe, to withdraw, to flow back, ebb, (transitive) to shrink, draw together (Dutch krimpen ), Middle Low German krimpen to draw together, shrink, cringe, to shrink (fabric) (German regional (Low German) krimpen to shrink (fabric), to shrink (of fabric), to draw together, to cringe or hunch up with cold or pain), cognate with Old High German (only as past participle) krimfit , Middle High German krimpfen (transitive or reflexive) to crumple, to draw together convulsively < an ablaut variant (e -grade) of the same Germanic base as cramp n.¹; compare also Middle Dutch krempen (weak verb) to draw together, withdraw, probably a causative formation from the same Germanic base as cramp n.¹ Compare also Old Danish krympæ (Danish krympe ) to wrinkle, shrink, Old Swedish, Swedish krympa to shrink, draw together, perhaps < Middle Low German krümpen to shrink, to cause to shrink (probably < krumpen , past participle of krimpen (see above), with analogical mutation; compare German krümpfen to shrink, to cause to shrink, to bend, curl (16th cent.; now regional)). It is striking that the word and its derivatives are attested only once in Old English (see quot. eOE at crimped adj.¹ 1) and twice (in the same source) in Middle English (see quot. a1398 at sense 2, and also a1398 at crimping adj.¹ 1), and are otherwise found only from the late 17th cent. onwards, although some further support for the assumption of Middle English currency is probably given by crimple v. and crimple n.

Etymology: Probably < crimp n.²

Etymology: < crimp n.² Compare earlier crimp v.²

Etymology: Apparently imitative, although compare earlier crimp adj. and perhaps also crimp v.¹