a. A thin transparent gauze-like fabric, plain woven, without any twill, of highly twisted raw silk or other staple, and mechanically embossed, so as to have a crisped or minutely wrinkled surface. The name originally comprised fine worsted fabrics (see 1b); but it is now chiefly limited to a black silk (or imitation silk) fabric much used for ladies' mourning dresses, and for funereal trimming and draping.Sometimes specifically called English crape (crêpe anglais). For similar fabrics of other colours or material the French form crêpe n. (which has retained the wider meaning of the word) is now used by preference, though the English form also occurs with qualifications, as in Canton crape or China crape = crêpe de chine at crêpe n. 1, †crape-lesse = crêpe lisse at crêpe n. 1 a kind of crape without any wrinkling or ‘figure’; see also crape-cloth n. at Compounds 3 below. The ‘crape’ for which Norwich was formerly famous, was a plain cloth of silk warp and worsted weft, which afterwards degenerated into bombazine: see the latter word (quots. 1789 –1831 at sense 2).

b. In the 18th cent., ‘a sort of thin worsted stuff, of which the dress of the clergy is sometimes made’ (Bailey 1755); hence, sometimes put for those who are dressed in ‘crape’, the clergy, a clergyman; see also crape-gown n., crape-man n., etc. in 3.

a. A band of crape worn round a hat, etc., in token of mourning.

b. A piece of crape drawn over the face as a disguise.

crape-dresser n.

crape-dyer n.

crape-scourer n.

crape-wreath n.

crape-like adj.

crape-shrouded adj.