Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Wrinkle?

\Wrin"kle\, n. A winkle. [Local, U. S.]
\Wrin"kle\, n. [OE. wrinkil, AS. wrincle; akin to OD. wrinckel, and prob. to Dan. rynke, Sw. rynka, Icel. hrukka, OHG. runza, G. runzel, L. ruga. ????.] 1. A small ridge, prominence, or furrow formed by the shrinking or contraction of any smooth substance; a corrugation; a crease; a slight fold; as, wrinkle in the skin; a wrinkle in cloth. ``The wrinkles in my brows.'' --Shak. Within I do not find wrinkles and used heart, but unspent youth. --Emerson. 2. hence, any roughness; unevenness. Not the least wrinkle to deform the sky. --Dryden. 3. [Perhaps a different word, and a dim. AS. wrenc a twisting, deceit. Cf. {Wrench}, n.] A notion or fancy; a whim; as, to have a new wrinkle. [Colloq.]
\Wrin"kle\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Wrinkled}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Wrinkling}.] 1. To contract into furrows and prominences; to make a wrinkle or wrinkles in; to corrugate; as, wrinkle the skin or the brow. ``Sport that wrinkled Care derides.'' --Milton. Her wrinkled form in black and white arrayed. --Pope. 2. Hence, to make rough or uneven in any way. A keen north wind that, blowing dry, Wrinkled the face of deluge, as decayed. --Milton. Then danced we on the wrinkled sand. --Bryant. {To wrinkle at}, to sneer at. [Obs.] --Marston.
\Wrin"kle\, v. i. To shrink into furrows and ridges.