DictionaryRoot: crumpen
Middle English

crumpen

curl up

1 / 1
An older man squeezes a blank sheet of paper between both hands, visibly crushing it into an irregular mass of sharp wrinkles and folds.
verb / noun

crumple

KRUM-pul/ˈkrʌmpl/

To collapse into a crushed or folded shape.

Etymology

“Curl up” combines with an ending suggesting repeated action: crumpling produces many irregular folds or wrinkles rather than a single bend.

Full entry

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