crepe

Pluralcrepes

Formscrepes, creping, creped

1. 1
   nouncountable

   A thin, round, flat pancake made with wheat flour, originally from Lower Brittany in France.

   The cafe folds each crepe around lemon and sugar before serving.

   She whisked the batter until it was thin enough for delicate crepes.

   Similarpancake

   Note

   The word came into English from French crêpe, which goes back to Latin crispus. That makes crepe a doublet of crisp and of crape: separate English words from one Latin source. Its use reaches beyond Brittany to the thin pancakes of other kitchens, so a menu can list Ukrainian nalysnyky crepes. It pairs naturally with batter, as in crepe batter.

2. 2
   noununcountable

   A soft, thin, light fabric whose surface has a fine crinkled texture.

   The designer chose black crepe for the gown because the fabric drapes so well.

   Her blouse of pale silk crepe shimmered under the stage lights.

3. 3
   noununcountable

   Thin tissue paper with a crinkled, stretchy texture, commonly used for streamers and party decorations.

   The committee draped the gym in orange and black crepe for the homecoming dance.

   Streamers of pink crepe sagged in the humid air before the guests arrived.

4. 4
   noununcountable

   Rubber formed into sheets, used especially for the soles of shoes.

   The bootmaker prefers crepe for work shoes because it absorbs shock so well.

   Desert boots traditionally come with soles of pale crepe.

   Note

   Most of the time this sense turns up in talk of footwear, and most compactly in the adjective crepe-soled, as in a policeman in crepe-soled shoes. The compound is hyphenated in front of a noun. In other positions people usually say that the shoes have crepe soles.

5. 5
   nounIrelandcountable

   A white card announcing a death, mounted on black crepe paper or cloth and put up on the door of a house or business.

   Coming up the lane after Mass, she saw a crepe on the Brennans' front door and knew old Tom had passed.

   The pub stayed shut for the publican's wake, with a crepe on the door and the blinds drawn.

   Note

   In Ireland the word names the whole notice, not just the black material behind it, so a crepe on the door means the card announcing a death. The name comes from that backing, whether it is the crinkled fabric or crepe paper. Elsewhere the word will be heard as cloth or food, so outside Ireland death notice is the clearer choice.

6. 6
   verbtransitive

   To cover or drape something in crepe.

   Each spring the seniors crepe the courtyard trees as a graduation prank.

   Mourners creped the doorway in black after the senator's death.

   Similardrape, festoon, swathe

7. 7
   verbtransitive

   To crease paper so that it takes on the wrinkled look of crepe paper.

   The art teacher showed us how to crepe ordinary paper for the flower stems.

   The machine crepes each sheet as it comes off the dryer.

   Similarcrinkle, crimp, wrinkle

8. 8
   verbtransitive

   To frizz the hair, giving it a tightly crinkled texture.

   Some stylists crepe the under-layers of hair to add volume before pinning it up.

   For the 1920s revue, the makeup team creped the actors' hair into stiff waves.

   Similarcrimp, frizz, tease, backcomb

   Oppositestraighten

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