crimp
/krɪmp
/verb [with object]
1Compress (something) into small folds or ridges: she crimped the edge of the pie...
- The back end is crimped and folded, almost to the point of being concertina-ed.
- Spoon a little of the pumpkin filling onto the centre of each round, fold in half and crimp the edges.
- Place 2tbsp filling on each pastry round, add a pinch of butter, sprinkle with a little flour, lightly brush the edges with beaten egg and bring the edges together at the top or at the side, pinching or crimping them firmly to seal.
Synonyms
flute, pleat, corrugate, ruffle, furrow, groove, ridge, crease, wrinkle, crinkle, crumple, pucker, gather;
pinch, press together, squeeze together
British rare ruckle
1.1Connect (a wire or cable) by squeezing the end or ends: pliers will crimp wires together...
- Next, take the other end of the wire, crimp a connector on it, and attach it to a wiring block a few inches away, as shown in Figure 8-6.
- Now crimp a 1.5-metre length of 275 lb wire to this.
- There are two more molex and two more SATA power connectors you can crimp onto any of the cables.
1.2 (often as adjective crimped) Make waves in (someone’s hair) with a hot iron: crimped blonde hair...
- A couple of seats up is Nadine, her long blonde hair crimped and flowing down her back.
- Read the latest hair trends that involve long hair, texture, crimping & waves.
- Their hair was in big waves, crimped and curled after what I imagined was the collective effort of painful rollers, hot irons, and all-night slumber parties.
Synonyms
curl, crinkle, kink, frizz, frizzle, coil, corkscrew, wave
2North American informal Have a limiting or adverse effect on (something): his zeal about his career can crimp the rest of his life...
- A rash of copycats, who now imitate the same trading tactics, will crimp his profit potential.
- Its sales potential has been crimped by the delays.
- BRITISH AIRWAYS, Europe's biggest airline, will accelerate job reductions and cut flights to trim costs as the war in Iraq crimps demand for air travel.
noun
1A folded or compressed edge.Anyway, Hayley has pouffed her hair out into some ‘rock star’ curls and crimps, and she looks pretty lame....
- The wool fibers have crimps or curls which create pockets and gives the wool a spongy feel and creates insulation for the wearer.
- Wrinkles, crimps, ruffles, fine pleating and quilting are built into otherwise plain fabric structures.
1.1A small connecting piece for crimping wires or lines together.Next working from the other end, slide a crimp up the line followed by the hook....
- In Wisconsin some of my muskie fisherman friends use a snap swivel which they attach to the wire with a crimp.
- You'll need a selection of 15 lb, 25 lb, 60 lb and 100 lb wire, plus suitable crimps for the toothy critters.
2North American informal A restriction or limitation: the crimp on take-home pay has been even tighter since taxes were raised
Phrases
put a crimp in
Derivatives
crimpy
/ adjective ...- Her chin length white blond hair, crimpy as genetics ‘blessed’ us, was pushed to her shoulders, and she looked exactly like I did at that age.
- His bamboo cane held over his shoulder, made him look extra spiffy, as his hair was finally out of those beaded braids, and hung down crimpy.
- I put my hair up in a sporty, yet spunky and crimpy ponytail.
Origin
Old English gecrympan, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch krimpen 'shrink, wrinkle'. Of rare occurrence before the 18th century, the word was perhaps reintroduced from Low German or Dutch.