Forms: 5 croume, 5–6 crumm(e, crume, crome, 6 cromme, 6–7 crum, 7– crumb. [f. CRUMB sb. There was an earlier umlaut form CRIM (:—crymman), cream, still in dialect use.]
1. trans. To break down into crumbs or small fragments, reduce to crumbs. Now rare.
c. 1430. Pilgr. Lyf Manhode, IV. xxxiii. (1869), 194. As me þouhte, she bar mete croumed vp on parchemyn.
1565. Jewel, Repl. Harding (1611), 457. Into how small mites the Bread may be crummed.
1583. Hollyband, Campo di Fior, 201. Heate them againe a litle before you crume in the bread.
a. 1625. Fletcher, Mons. Thomas, IV. iv. Crumb not your bread before you taste your porridge.
1882. Worc. Exhib. Catal., iii. 38. Machine for crumbing bread.
† 2. intr. To fall into crumbs; to crumble. Obs.
1562. J. Heywood, Prov. & Epigr. (1867), 64. A mud wall … Cracketh and crummeth in péeces.
1580. North, Plutarch (1676), 493. Ground … that … being troden on, crummeth like white lime.
18[?]. Southey (F. Hall).
3. trans. To put crumbs into or over; to thicken or cover with crumbs.
[See CRIM v.]
1579. Fulke, Heskins’ Parl., 377. As for his bare bread, let him keepe to crome his pottage.
1669. Dryden, Wild Gallant, I. ii. Last night good Mrs. Bibber … crumm’d me a mess of gruel.
1684. Bunyan, Pilgr., II. 133. A Dish of Milk well crumbed.
1864. Mrs. H. Wood, Trevlyn Hold, III. ix. 131. To see a sweetbread egged and crumbed.
Hence Crumbed ppl. a.
c. 1430. Two Cookery-bks., 55. Melle yt with cromyd Marow, & lay on Sugre y-now.
