crimp

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
crimp/krɪmp/

▶verb

• 1 compress into small folds or ridges.

  ■ connect by squeezing together.

  ■ (often as adj. crimped) make waves in (hair) with a hot iron.

• 2 (also put a crimp in) N. Amer. informal have a limiting or adverse effect on.

▶noun

• 1 a curl, wave, or folded or compressed edge.

• 2 a small connecting piece for crimping wires or lines together.

– derivatives
crimpy adjective.

– origin OE gecrympan, of Gmc origin.