Crimps

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /kɹɪmps/

Definitions

1. To bend or pinch something to form a ripple or fold; to make a series of short, curved cuts in fabric or materials to create texture; a person or thing that causes a contraction or limit to flexibility or movement without damaging the structure
2. To press or fold over the edge of material to create decorative effects; to create ridges or waves in fabric through specific manipulation; an agent that constrains or restricts movement or possibilities in a given context
3. To form a wavy or folded shape in materials through manipulation; to alter fabric design with distinct impressions; an individual or device that imposes limitations on movement or flexibility in various situations

Etymology: The verb "crimp" comes from a Germanic root meaning "to shrink, draw back." It reached English through Middle Dutch "crimpen" and "crempen," meaning "to crimp" or "to turn something back," and in Middle English it had the sense of things being drawn together or contracted. Old English had a related verb, "gecrympan," meaning "to curl," so the idea of pulling material into tight folds was already present in the family of words long before the modern sense appeared. The plural "crimps" is the form of the noun that names those tight wavy folds. The noun derives from the verb, so the physical image of something drawn in and shrunk stays at its core: the fabric or hair is gathered into close, regular ripples. The link to "cramp" is worth noting. The two words share ancestry in the same root, which points to a close relation between the ideas of shrinking, tightening and constraint.

Synonyms: pleats, folds