v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Crimped 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

The comely hostess in a crimped cap. W. Irving. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To pinch and hold; to seize. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Hence, to entrap into the military or naval service; as, to crimp seamen. [ 1913 Webster ]

Coaxing and courting with intent to crimp him. Carlyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Firearms) In cartridge making, to fold the edge of (a cartridge case) inward so as to close the mouth partly and confine the charge. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Easily crumbled; friable; brittle. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Now the fowler . . . treads the crimp earth. J. Philips. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Weak; inconsistent; contradictory. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The evidence is crimp; the witnesses swear backward and forward, and contradict themselves. Arbuthnot. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. A coal broker. [ Prov. Eng. ] De Foe. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One who decoys or entraps men into the military or naval service. Marryat. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A keeper of a low lodging house where sailors and emigrants are entrapped and fleeced. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Hair which has been crimped; -- usually in pl. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. A game at cards. [ Obs. ] B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

Boot crimp. See under Boot. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act or practice of crimping; money paid to a crimp for shipping or enlisting men. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who, or that which, crimps; as: (a) A curved board or frame over which the upper of a boot or shoe is stretched to the required shape. (b) A device for giving hair a wavy appearance. (c) A machine for crimping or ruffling textile fabrics. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Crimpled p. pr. & vb. n. Crimpling ] [ Dim. of crimp, v. t. ] To cause to shrink or draw together; to contract; to curl. [ R. ] Wiseman. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having a crimped appearance; frizzly; as, the crimpy wool of the Saxony sheep. [ 1913 Webster ]