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Webster 1913 Edition


Crimp

Crimp

(krĭmp)
,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Crimped
(krĭmt; 215)
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Crimping
.]
[Akin to D.
krimpen
to shrink, shrivel, Sw.
krympa
, Dan.
krympe
, and to E.
cramp
. See
Cramp
.]
1.
To fold or plait in regular undulation in such a way that the material will retain the shape intended; to give a wavy appearance to;
as, to
crimp
the border of a cap; to
crimp
a ruffle
. Cf.
Crisp
.
The comely hostess in a
crimped
cap.
W. Irving.
2.
To pinch and hold; to seize.
3.
Hence,
to entrap into the military or naval service;
as, to
crimp
seamen
.
Coaxing and courting with intent to
crimp
him.
Carlyle.
4.
(Cookery)
To cause to contract, or to render more crisp, as the flesh of a fish, by gashing it, when living, with a knife;
as, to
crimp
skate, etc.
Crimping house
,
a low lodging house, into which men are decoyed and plied with drink, to induce them to ship or enlist as sailors or soldiers.
–
Crimping iron
.
(a)
An iron instrument for crimping and curling the hair.
(b)
A crimping machine.
–
Crimping machine
,
a machine with fluted rollers or with dies, for crimping ruffles, leather, iron, etc.
–
Crimping pin
,
an instrument for crimping or puckering the border of a lady’s cap.

Crimp

,
Adj.
1.
Easily crumbled; friable; brittle.
[R.]
Now the fowler . . . treads the
crimp
earth.
J. Philips.
2.
Weak; inconsistent; contradictory.
[R.]
The evidence is
crimp
; the witnesses swear backward and forward, and contradict themselves.
Arbuthnot.

Crimp

,
Noun.
1.
A coal broker.
[Prov. Eng.]
De Foe.
2.
One who decoys or entraps men into the military or naval service.
Marryat.
3.
A keeper of a low lodging house where sailors and emigrants are entrapped and fleeced.
4.
Hair which has been crimped; – usually in pl.
5.
A game at cards.
[Obs.]
B. Jonson.
Boot crimp
.
See under
Boot
.

Webster 1828 Edition


Crimp

CRIMP

,
Adj.
[See Crumble.]
1.
Easily crumbled; friable; brittle. [Little used.]
The fowler--treads the crimp earth.
2.
Not consistent. [Not used.]

CRIMP

,
Verb.
T.
To catch; to seize; to pinch and hold. [See Crimple.]

CRIMP

,
Verb.
T.
To curl or frizzle; as, to crimp the hair. This is evidently the same word as the foregoing.

CRIMP

,
Noun.
1.
In England, an agent for coal-merchants, and for persons concerned in shipping.
2.
One who decoys another into the naval or military service.
3.
A game at cards.