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1 N‑VAR A crime is an illegal action or activity for which a person can be punished by law. □  He and Lieutenant Cassidy were checking the scene of the crime. □  Mr Steele has committed no crime and poses no danger to the public. □  We need a positive programme of crime prevention.

2 N‑COUNT [usu sing] If you say that doing something is a crime , you think it is very wrong or a serious mistake. [DISAPPROVAL ] □  It would be a crime to travel all the way to Australia and not stop in Sydney. COLLOCATIONS crime NOUN 1

noun + crime : gun, knife; hate, sex, war; gang, youth

adjective + crime : heinous, horrific, violent; organized, serious; petty, victimless, white-collar; unsolved; juvenile

verb + crime : combat, fight, prevent, reduce, tackle; investigate, solve; commit, perpetrate

cri me scene (crime scenes ) N‑COUNT A crime scene is a place that is being investigated by the police because a crime has taken place there. □  Photographs of the crime scene began to arrive within twenty minutes.

cri me wave also crimewave N‑SING When more crimes than usual are committed in a particular place, you can refer to this as a crime wave . □  The country is in the grip of a teenage crime wave.

crimi|nal ◆◆◇ /kr I m I n ^ə l/ (criminals )

1 N‑COUNT A criminal is a person who regularly commits crimes. □  A group of gunmen attacked a prison and set free nine criminals in Moroto.

2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Criminal means connected with crime. □  He faces various criminal charges.

3 ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If you describe an action as criminal , you think it is very wrong or a serious mistake. [DISAPPROVAL ] □  He said a full-scale dispute involving strikes would be criminal.

cri mi|nal cou rt (criminal courts ) N‑COUNT A criminal court is a law court that deals with criminal offences.

crimi|nal|ize /kr I m I nəla I z/ (criminalizes , criminalizing , criminalized ) in BRIT, also use criminalise VERB If a government criminalizes an action or person, it officially declares that the action or the person's behaviour is illegal. □ [V n] Every nation should criminalise malicious activities on computer networks.

crimi|nol|ogy /kr I m I nɒ lədʒi/ N‑UNCOUNT Criminology is the scientific study of crime and criminals. ●  crimi|nolo|gist /kr I m I nɒ lədʒ I st/ (criminologists ) N‑COUNT □  …a criminologist at the University of Montreal.

crimp /kr I mp/ (crimps , crimping , crimped )

1 VERB If you crimp something such as a piece of fabric or pastry, you make small folds in it. □ [V n] Crimp the edges to seal them tightly.

2 VERB To crimp something means to restrict or reduce it. [AM ] □ [V n] The dollar's recent strength is crimping overseas sales and profits.

Crimp|lene /kr I mpliːn/ also crimplene N‑UNCOUNT [oft N n] Crimplene is an artificial fabric used for making clothes which does not crease easily. [mainly BRIT , TRADEMARK ]

crim|son /kr I mz ^ə n/ (crimsons ) COLOUR Something that is crimson is deep red in colour. □  …a mass of crimson flowers.

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 )