%crim%

a. [ Cf. LL. acrimonious, F. acrimonieux. ] 1. Acrid; corrosive; as, acrimonious gall. [ Archaic ] Harvey. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Caustic; bitter-tempered' sarcastic; as, acrimonious dispute, language, temper. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In an acrimonious manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality of being acrimonious; asperity; acrimony. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Acrimonies [ L. acrimonia, fr. acer, sharp: cf. F. acrimonie. ] 1. A quality of bodies which corrodes or destroys others; also, a harsh or biting sharpness; as, the acrimony of the juices of certain plants. [ Archaic ] Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Sharpness or severity, as of language or temper; irritating bitterness of disposition or manners. [ 1913 Webster ]

John the Baptist set himself with much acrimony and indignation to baffle this senseless arrogant conceit of theirs. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Acrimony, Asperity, Harshness, Tartness. These words express different degrees of angry feeling or language. Asperity and harshness arise from angry feelings, connected with a disregard for the feelings of others. Harshness usually denotes needless severity or an undue measure of severity. Acrimony is a biting sharpness produced by an imbittered spirit. Tartness denotes slight asperity and implies some degree of intellectual readiness. Tartness of reply; harshness of accusation; acrimony of invective. [ 1913 Webster ]

In his official letters he expressed, with great acrimony, his contempt for the king's character. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

It is no very cynical asperity not to confess obligations where no benefit has been received. Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

A just reverence of mankind prevents the growth of harshness and brutality. Shaftesbury. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A joint accusation. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. crime, fr. L. crimen judicial decision, that which is subjected to such a decision, charge, fault, crime, fr. the root of cernere to decide judicially. See Certain. ] 1. Any violation of law, either divine or human; an omission of a duty commanded, or the commission of an act forbidden by law. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Gross violation of human law, in distinction from a misdemeanor or trespass, or other slight offense. Hence, also, any aggravated offense against morality or the public welfare; any outrage or great wrong. “To part error from crime.” Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Crimes, in the English common law, are grave offenses which were originally capitally punished (murder, rape, robbery, arson, burglary, and larceny), as distinguished from misdemeanors, which are offenses of a lighter grade. See Misdemeanors. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Any great wickedness or sin; iniquity. [ 1913 Webster ]

No crime was thine, if 'tis no crime to love. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. That which occasion crime. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The tree of life, the crime of our first father's fall. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

Capital crime, a crime punishable with death.

Syn. -- Sin; vice; iniquity; wrong. -- Crime, Sin, Vice. Sin is the generic term, embracing wickedness of every kind, but specifically denoting an offense as committed against God. Crime is strictly a violation of law either human or divine; but in present usage the term is commonly applied to actions contrary to the laws of the State. Vice is more distinctively that which springs from the inordinate indulgence of the natural appetites, which are in themselves innocent. Thus intemperance, unchastity, duplicity, etc., are vices; while murder, forgery, etc., which spring from the indulgence of selfish passions, are crimes. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a Ukrainian peninsula between the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. Criminal; wicked; contrary to law, right, or dury. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Free from crime; innocent. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. criminalis, fr. crimen: cf. F. criminel. See Crime. ] 1. Guilty of crime or sin. [ 1913 Webster ]

The neglect of any of the relative duties renders us criminal in the sight of God. Rogers. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Involving a crime; of the nature of a crime; -- said of an act or of conduct; as, criminal carelessness. [ 1913 Webster ]

Foppish and fantastic ornaments are only indications of vice, not criminal in themselves. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Relating to crime; -- opposed to civil; as, the criminal code. [ 1913 Webster ]

The officers and servants of the crown, violating the personal liberty, or other right of the subject . . . were in some cases liable to criminal process. Hallam. [ 1913 Webster ]

Criminal action (Law), an action or suit instituted to secure conviction and punishment for a crime. --
Criminal conversation (Law), unlawful intercourse with a married woman; adultery; -- usually abbreviated, crim. con. --
Criminal law, the law which relates to crimes. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who has commited a crime; especially, one who is found guilty by verdict, confession, or proof; a malefactor; a felon. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One versed in criminal law. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ LL. criminalitas, fr. L. criminalis. See Criminal. ] The quality or state of being criminal; that which constitutes a crime; guiltiness; guilt. [ 1913 Webster ]

This is by no means the only criterion of criminality. Blackstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. to declare (an act) to be illegal.
Syn. -- outlaw, illegalize, ban. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

adv. In violation of law; wickedly. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Criminality. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Criminated p. pr. & vb. n. Criminating ] [ L. criminatus, p. p. of criminare, criminari, to criminate, fr. crimen. See Crime. ] 1. To accuse of, or charge with, a crime. [ 1913 Webster ]

To criminate, with the heavy and ungrounded charge of disloyalty and disaffection, an uncorrupt, independent, and reforming parliament. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To involve in a crime or in its consequences; to render liable to a criminal charge. [ 1913 Webster ]

Impelled by the strongest pressure of hope and fear to criminate him. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. criminatio. ] The act of accusing; accusation; charge; complaint. [ 1913 Webster ]

The criminations and recriminations of the adverse parties. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Charging with crime; accusing; criminatory. R. North. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Relating to, or involving, crimination; accusing; as, a criminatory conscience. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. of or pertaining to criminology. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ L. crimen, crimenis, crime + -logy. ] 1. A treatise on crime or the criminal population. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The branch of sociology which studies crime and criminals. [ PJC ]

-- Crim`i*nol"o*gist n. [1913 Webster]

a. [ L. criminosus, fr. crimen. See Crime. ] Criminal; involving great crime or grave charges; very wicked; heinous. [ Obs. ] Holland.

-- Crim"i*nous*ly, adv. -- Crim"i*nous*ness, n. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Obs. ] See Crimson. [ 1913 Webster ]

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 ]

n. [ OE. crimson, OF. crimoisin, F. cramoisi (cf. Sp. carmesi.) LL. carmesinus, fr. Ar. qermazi, fr. qermez crimson, kermes, fr. Skr. k&rsdot_;mija produced by a worm; k&unr_;mi worm or insect + jan to generate; akin to E. kin. CF. Carmine, Kermes. ] A deep red color tinged with blue; also, red color in general. [ 1913 Webster ]

Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. Is. i. 18. [ 1913 Webster ]

A maid yet rosed over with the virgin crimson of modesty. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of a deep red color tinged with blue; deep red. “A crimson tide.” Mrs. Hemans. [ 1913 Webster ]

The blushing poppy with a crimson hue. Prior. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Crimsoned p. pr. & vb. n. Crimsoning. ] To dye with crimson or deep red; to redden. [ 1913 Webster ]

Signed in thy spoil and crimsoned in thy lethe. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To become crimson; to blush. [ 1913 Webster ]

Ancient towers . . . beginning to crimson with the radiant luster of a cloudless July morning. De Quincey. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Capable of being discriminated. [ Obs. ] Bailey. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. discriminalis serving to divide. ] In palmistry, applied to the line which marks the separation between the hand and the arm. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. discriminans, p. pr. of discriminare. ] (Math.) The eliminant of the n partial differentials of any homogenous function of n variables. See Eliminant. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. discriminatus, p. p. of discriminare to divide, separate, fr. discrimen division, distinction, decision, fr. discernere. See Discern, and cf. Criminate. ] Having the difference marked; distinguished by certain tokens. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Discriminated p. pr. & vb. n. Discriminating ] To set apart as being different; to mark as different; to separate from another by discerning differences; to distinguish. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

To discriminate the goats from the sheep. Barrow. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To make a difference or distinction; to distinguish accurately; as, in judging of evidence, we should be careful to discriminate between probability and slight presumption. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (a) To treat unequally. (b) (Railroads) To impose unequal tariffs for substantially the same service. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a discriminating manner; distinctly. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state of being discriminated; distinctness. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Marking a difference; distinguishing. -- Dis*crim"i*na`ting*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

And finds with keen discriminating sight,
Black's not so black; -- nor white so very white. Canning. [1913 Webster]

2. making careful or fine distinctions, especially as to quality or accuracy; as, a discriminating observer.
Syn. -- discerning, perspicacious. [PJC]

3. having a refined taste or excellent judgment; as, a discriminating taste. [PJC]

n. [ L. discriminatio the contrasting of opposite thoughts. ] 1. The act of discriminating, distinguishing, or noting and marking differences. [ 1913 Webster ]

To make an anxious discrimination between the miracle absolute and providential. Trench. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The state of being discriminated, distinguished, or set apart. Sir J. Reynolds. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Railroads) The arbitrary imposition of unequal tariffs for substantially the same service. [ 1913 Webster ]

A difference in rates, not based upon any corresponding difference in cost, constitutes a case of discrimination. A. T. Hadley. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. The quality of being discriminating; faculty of nicely distinguishing; acute discernment; as, to show great discrimination in the choice of means. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. That which discriminates; mark of distinction.

Syn. -- Discernment; penetration; clearness; acuteness; judgment; distinction. See Discernment. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Marking a difference; distinguishing; distinctive; characteristic. [ 1913 Webster ]

That peculiar and discriminative form of life. Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Observing distinctions; making differences; discriminating. “Discriminative censure.” J. Foster. “Discriminative Providence.” Dr. H. More. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. With discrimination or distinction. J. Foster. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ LL. ] One who discriminates. [ 1913 Webster ]