Also 4 cr-, krenkle, cr-, krynkle, 6 crencle. [Frequentative derivative from stem of OE. crincan; see CRANK sb.1, and cf. CRANKLE. As the ME. form is sometimes crenkle (see CRINKLED), the type seems to be *crankil-, whence *crenclian.]
I. 1. intr. To form numerous short twists or turns; to wind or twist in its course; to contract surface wrinkles or ripples; to wrinkle or shrink up.
c. 1385, a. 1529. [see CRINKLED].
1577, 1621. [see CRINKLING vbl. sb., ppl. a.].
a. 1600. Boy & Mantle, xxviii. in Child, Eng. & Sc. Pop. Ball. (1884), II. 273/1. Vpp att her great toe, itt [the mantle] began to crinkle and crowt.
1864. Mrs. Gatty, Parables fr. Nat., 4th Ser. 12. The last leaves … had crinkled up and turned brown.
1873. Lowell, Among my Bks., Ser. II. 132. It [a stream] seemed to ripple and crinkle.
1876. Mid-Yorksh. Gloss., Crinkle, to bend tortuously. Of a twisting pathway, it will be said: ‘It crinkles round, but goes straight at after.’ [In Dial. Glossaries of Cheshire, Lincolnsh., Leicestersh., etc. = ‘to wrinkle, crumple, shrink, shrivel up.’]
2. To bend shrinkingly or obsequiously with the legs or body; to cringe. Obs. exc. dial.
1633. Shirley, Bird in Cage, II. i. The other signor crinkles in the hams, as he were studying new postures against his turn comes to salute me.
1633. Ford, ’Tis Pity, I. ii. I like him the worse, he crinkles so much in the hams.
1719. [see CRINGE v. 2].
1825. Brockett, Gloss. N. Country Words, Crinkle, to wrinkle, to bend under a load.
1875. Lanc. Gloss., Crinkle, to bend under a weight.
b. fig. To turn aside, to shrink or recede from one’s purpose. Obs. exc. dial.
1610. B. Jonson, Alch., III. v. He that hath pleas’d her Grace Thus farre, shall not now crinckle for a little.
1703. Thoresby, Lett. to Ray, Crinkle, to crouch; to yield sneakingly.
1781. J. Hutton, Tour to Caves, Gloss., Crinckle, to recede, or fall off from a promise or purpose.
1873. Swaledale Gloss., Crinkle, to recede from an avowed resolution or the performance of a promise.
3. trans. To twist or bend (anything) to and fro, or in and out; to wrinkle, crumple; to crimp (the hair). (See also CRINKLED ppl. a.)
a. 1825. Forby, Voc. E. Anglia, Crinkle, Crunkle, to wrinkle, twist, plait, or rumple irregularly.
1856. Mrs. Browning, Aur. Leigh, VIII. (1857), 358. The flames through all the casements pushing forth, Like red-hot devils crinkled into snakes.
1871. Miss Braddon, Lovels, xvi. 128. Miss Granger was too perfect a being to crinkle her hair.
1888. Berksh. Gloss., Crinkle, to crease; to rumple.
II. 4. intr. To emit sharp thin ringing sounds; to move with these sounds. [Cf. CRINK v.2]
1856, etc. [see CRINKLING ppl. a. II].
1878. R. W. Gilder, Poet & M., 19. Small brooks crinkle o’er stock and stone.
Hence Crinkled ppl. a.
c. 1385. Chaucer, L. G. W., 2012, Ariadne. And for the hous is krynkeled [v.rr. crenkled, ycrynklid, ykrenkled] two and fro And hath so queynte weyis for to go.
a. 1529. Skelton, El. Rumminge, 17. Her face all bowsy Comely crynklyd Woundersly wrynkled.
1611. Barry, Ram-Alley, IV. i. in Hazl., Dodsley, X. 339. An old crazed man … With little legs and crinkled thighs.
1850. L. Hunt, Autobiog., II. x. 30. His hat … looking sadly crinkled and old.
1862. Macm. Mag., April, 530/1. Whoever carved the arum (Calla Æthiopica) on the cap in the fourth opening on this side, with it great vessel of a flower, its rigid spike and crinkled leaves, did well.
