I. ˈkrisp adjective
( -er/-est )
Etymology: Middle English crisp, crips curly, fretted, from Old English crisp curly, from Latin crispus; akin to Middle High German rispen to curl, Old High German hrispahi bush, thicket, Old Norse rispa to scratch, Welsh crych curly, Latin curvus curved — more at crown
1.
a.
(1) : curly , wavy ; also : having close stiff curls or waves or being somewhat wiry and stiff
the short crisp hair of the natives
(2) : having or made up of crisp hair
a crisp hairdo
the bull is commonly crisper about the forehead than his cows
b. : having the surface roughened into small folds or curling wrinkles
crisp whitecaps blown up by the wind
c. : curled
2.
a. : having such a texture as to break apart easily and with a clear-cut fracture : brittle , friable
crisp snow crackling underfoot
b. of pastry : short
c. : firm and fresh : not flabby and wilted
crisp lettuces with the dew still on them
3. : exhibiting or suggesting some combination of qualities characteristic of or attributable to that which is crisp:
a. : sharp, clean-cut, and clear
a crisp illustration
: concise and orderly to the point of terseness
crisp military reports
a crisp reply
b. : noticeably neat and spruce in appearance or deportment : well-groomed
c. : sprightly , brisk , vivacious
a crisp manner
: lively and sparkling
crisp repartee
dialogue as crisp as Shaw at his best
d. : cold , frosty , snappy
crisp winter weather
also : fresh and invigorating
a crisp odor of pines
a crisp autumn breeze
e. of a trigger : releasing the firing mechanism smoothly and easily — compare creep II 5d
Synonyms: see incisive
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English crispen, from crisp, adjective
transitive verb
1.
a. : curl , crimp
crisp her hair
crisp the nap of cloth
b. : to cause to ripple or undulate irregularly : wrinkle
a lake crisped by the west wind
c. : to make crisp
crisping celery in ice water
2. : to cause to crackle
the wheels crisp the gravel
3. : to fold (cloth) into lengths
intransitive verb
1. : curl , ripple
her fingers crisped on the tablecloth — Rebecca West
leaves crisping and fluttering in the sunlight
2. : to become crisp
bread crisping in the oven
the ground crisped with frost
III. noun
( -s )
Etymology: crisp (I)
: something crisp or brittle
dinner burned to a crisp
as
a. slang : bank note
b. chiefly Britain : potato chip — usually used in plural
IV. noun
: a baked dessert of fruit with a crumb topping
apple crisp