gimp
/ɡɪmp/ noun, verb, adjective
Forms gimps gimping gimped
- noun A narrow ornamental fabric or braid of silk, wool, or cotton, often stiffened with metallic wire or coarse cord running through it, used as trimming for dresses, curtains, furniture, etc. Also guimpe.
- noun Any coarse or reinforced thread, such as a glazed thread employed in lacemaking to outline designs, or silk thread used as a fishing leader, protected from the bite of fish by a wrapping of fine wire.
- noun The plastic cord used in the plaiting and knotting craft scoubidou (lanyard making); or, the process itself.
- noun (dated, chiefly Northeastern US) Gumption.
- verb (sewing, textiles) Of yarn, cord, thread, etc., to wrap or wind (surround) with another length of yarn or wire in a tight spiral, often by means of a gimping machine, creating 'gimped yarn', etc. Also, generally, to wrap or twist with string or wire. See gimped.
- verb (dated) To notch or indent; to jag or make jagged; to edge with serrations or grooves.
- noun (informal) A person who is lame due to a crippling of the legs or feet.
- noun (informal) A crippled leg.
- noun (informal) A limp or a limping gait.
- noun (slang, derogatory) A name-calling word, generally for a person who is perceived to be inept, deficient or peculiar.
- noun (BDSM) A submissive dressed in a full-body suit of latex or a similar material.
- noun (video games, slang, derogatory) A character or ability that is underpowered.
- verb (intransitive, informal) To limp; to hobble.
- verb (transitive, video games, slang) To make underpowered; to limit or restrict the useful effects of.
- adjective (dated, Scotland and N England) Neat; trim; delicate; slender; handsome; spruce; elegant.
Synonyms
spirit ambition vigor pep cripple disabled dweeb nerd geek gump spod dork nerf superWIMP lameness limping gimpiness gameness claudication limp hobble hitch
Etymology
Attested since about 1660, perhaps from Dutch gimp or French guimpe, and likely from Old French guimpre, a variant of guipure, a kind of trimming.
The regional sense of "gumption" is attested since about 1905, and may have developed due to the reinforced nature of gimp cord, or possibly the influence of the words gumption and gumph.
Attested in US slang since the 1920s. Maybe influenced by, or cognate with limp.
Scots. Alternative form of jimp. Compare Welsh gwymp (“fair, neat, comely”).
Webster’s 1913
- adjective Smart; spruce; trim; nice. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.]
- noun A narrow ornamental fabric of silk, woolen, or cotton, often with a metallic wire, or sometimes a coarse cord, running through it; --used as trimming for dresses, furniture, etc. Gimp nail, an upholsterer's small nail.
- verb To notch; to indent; to jag.
Etymology [W. gwymp fair, neat, comely.]
Etymology [OF. guimpe, guimple, a nun's wimple, F. guimpe, OHG. wimpal a veil G. wimpel pennon, pendant. See Wimple, n.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “gimp”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details