cringe /kr I ndʒ/ (cringes , cringing , cringed ) VERB If you cringe at something, you feel embarrassed or disgusted, and perhaps show this feeling in your expression or by making a slight movement. □ [V ] Molly had cringed when Ann started picking up the guitar. □ [V + at ] Chris had cringed at the thought of using her own family for publicity. □ [V + in ] I cringed in horror.
crin|kle /kr I ŋk ə l/ (crinkles , crinkling , crinkled )
1 VERB If something crinkles or if you crinkle it, it becomes slightly creased or folded. □ [V ] He shrugged whimsically, his eyes crinkling behind his glasses. □ [V n] When she laughs, she crinkles her perfectly-formed nose.
2 N‑COUNT Crinkles are small creases or folds.
crin|kly /kr I ŋkli/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] A crinkly object has many small creases or folds in it or in its surface. □ …her big crinkly face. □ …crinkly paper.
crino|line /kr I nəl I n/ (crinolines ) N‑COUNT A crinoline was a round frame which women wore under their skirts in the 19th century.
crip|ple /kr I p ə l/ (cripples , crippling , crippled )
1 N‑COUNT A person with a physical disability or a serious permanent injury is sometimes referred to as a cripple . [OFFENSIVE ] □ She has gone from being a healthy, fit, and sporty young woman to being a cripple.
2 VERB If someone is crippled by an injury, it is so serious that they can never move their body properly again. □ [be V -ed] Mr Easton was seriously crippled in an accident and had to leave his job. □ [V n] He had been warned that another bad fall could cripple him for life. □ [V -ed] He heaved his crippled leg into an easier position.
3 VERB If something cripples a person, it causes them severe psychological or emotional problems. □ [V n] Howard wanted to be a popular singer, but stage fright crippled him. □ [V -ed] I'm not perfect but I'm also not emotionally crippled or lonely.
4 VERB To cripple a machine, organization, or system means to damage it severely or prevent it from working properly. □ [V n] A total cut-off of supplies would cripple the country's economy. □ [V -ed] The pilot was able to maneuver the crippled aircraft out of the hostile area.
crip|pling /kr I pl I ŋ/
1 ADJ [ADJ n] A crippling illness or disability is one that severely damages your health or your body. □ Arthritis and rheumatism are prominent crippling diseases.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you say that an action, policy, or situation has a crippling effect on something, you mean it has a very serious, harmful effect. □ The high cost of borrowing has a crippling effect on many small firms.
cri|sis ◆◆◇ /kra I s I s/ (crises /kra I siːz/) N‑VAR A crisis is a situation in which something or someone is affected by one or more very serious problems. □ Natural disasters have obviously contributed to the continent's economic crisis. □ He had made arrangements for additional funding before the company was in crisis. □ …children's illnesses or other family crises. □ …someone to turn to in moments of crisis. SYNONYMS crisis NOUN 1
emergency: The hospital will cater only for emergencies.
catastrophe: From all points of view, war would be a catastrophe.
disaster: Many had lost all in the disaster and were destitute.
cri |sis ma n|age|ment N‑UNCOUNT People use crisis management to refer to a management style that concentrates on solving the immediate problems occurring in a business rather than looking for long-term solutions. [BUSINESS ] □ Today's NSC is overcome by day-to-day crisis management. □ …a crisis-management team.
crisp /kr I sp/ (crisper , crispest , crisps , crisping , crisped )
1 ADJ Food that is crisp is pleasantly hard, or has a pleasantly hard surface. [APPROVAL ] □ Bake the potatoes for 15 minutes, till they're nice and crisp. □ …crisp bacon. □ …crisp lettuce. ● crisp|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ The pizza base retains its crispness without becoming brittle. ● crisp|ly ADV □ …crisply-fried onion rings.
2 VERB If food crisps or if you crisp it, it becomes pleasantly hard, for example because you have heated it at a high temperature. □ [V ] Cook the bacon until it begins to crisp. □ [V n] Spread breadcrumbs on a dry baking sheet and crisp them in the oven.
3 N‑COUNT [usu pl] Crisps are very thin slices of fried potato that are eaten cold as a snack. [BRIT ] □ …a packet of crisps. □ …cheese and onion potato crisps. in AM, use chips or potato chips 4 ADJ Weather that is pleasantly fresh, cold, and dry can be described as crisp . [APPROVAL ] □ …a crisp autumn day.
5 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Crisp cloth or paper is clean and has no creases in it. □ I slipped between the crisp clean sheets. □ …crisp banknotes. ● crisp|ly ADV □ …his crisply-pressed suit.
crisp|bread /kr I spbred/ (crispbreads ) N‑VAR Crispbreads are thin dry biscuits made from wheat or rye. They are often eaten instead of bread by people who want to lose weight.
crispy /kr I spi/ (crispier , crispiest ) ADJ Food that is crispy is pleasantly hard, or has a pleasantly hard surface. [APPROVAL ] □ …crispy fried onions. □ …crispy bread rolls.
criss-cross /kr I s krɒs, [AM ] - krɔːs/ (criss-crosses , criss-crossing , criss-crossed ) also crisscross