To compress something into small, regular folds or ridges; to make something curly or wavy, or to restrict or limit.
From Middle Dutch 'crimpen,' related to 'cramp.' The word originally meant to compress or squeeze, which led to its use for making waves in hair. The figurative meaning 'to restrict' (as in 'crimp one's style') developed later.
The word 'crimp' has been used since the 1600s for making wavy hair, which is fascinating because crimping technology from ancient times still survives in modern salon tools! The phrase 'crimp one's style' meaning 'ruin someone's plans' probably comes from how crimping restricts hair into fixed shapes.
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