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Webster 1913 Edition

Wrinkle

Wrin′kle

,
Noun.
A winkle.
[Local, U. S.]

Wrin′kle

,
Noun.
[OE.
wrinkil
, AS.
wrincle
; akin to OD.
wrinckel
, and prob. to Dan.
rynke
, Sw.
rynka
, Icel.
hrukka
, OHG.
runza
, G.
runzel
, L.
ruga
. [GREEK][GREEK][GREEK][GREEK].]
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
,
Noun.
]
A notion or fancy; a whim;
as, to have a new
wrinkle
.
[Colloq.]

Wrin′kle

,
Verb.
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

,
Verb.
I.
To shrink into furrows and ridges.

Webster 1828 Edition

Wrinkle

WRINKLE

,
Noun.
[G.]
1.
A small ridge or prominence, or a furrow, formed by the shrinking or contraction of any smooth substance; corrugation; a crease; as wrinkles in the face or skin.
2.
A fold or rumple in cloth.
3.
Roughness; unevenness.
Not the least wrinkle to deform the sky.

WRINKLE

,
Verb.
T.
1.
To contract into furrows and prominences; to corrugate; as, to wrinkle the skin; to wrinkle the brow.
Her wrinkled form in black and white arrayd.
2.
To make rough or uneven.
A keen north wind, blowing dry, wrinkled the face of deluge, as decayd.

WRINKLE

,
Verb.
I.
To shrink into furrows and ridges.

Definition 2024

wrinkle

wrinkle

English

Alternative forms

  • wrincle (obsolete)

Pronunciation

  • Rhymes: -ɪŋkəl

Noun

wrinkle ‎(plural wrinkles)

  1. A small furrow, ridge or crease in an otherwise smooth surface.
  2. A line or crease in the skin, especially when caused by age or fatigue.
    Spending time out in the sun may cause you to develop wrinkles sooner.
  3. A fault, imperfection or bug especially in a new system or product; typically, they will need to be ironed out.
    Three months later, we're still discovering new wrinkles.
  4. (dated) A notion or fancy; a whim.
    to have a new wrinkle
Translations

Verb

wrinkle ‎(third-person singular simple present wrinkles, present participle wrinkling, simple past and past participle wrinkled)

  1. (transitive) To make wrinkles in; to cause to have wrinkles.
    Be careful not to wrinkle your dress before we arrive.
    • Alexander Pope
      her wrinkled form in black and white arrayed
  2. (intransitive) To pucker or become uneven or irregular.
    An hour in the tub will cause your fingers to wrinkle.
  3. (intransitive, of skin) To develop irreversibly wrinkles; to age.
    The skin is the substance that wrinkles, shows age, stretches, scars and cuts.
  4. (intransitive, obsolete) To sneer (at).
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Marston to this entry?)
Translations

Related terms

Etymology 2

Noun

wrinkle ‎(plural wrinkles)

  1. (US, dialect) A winkle.

References

  • “wrinkle” in Douglas Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary (2001).

Etymology

Probably from stem of Old English gewrinclod.

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