crisp
crisp — verb
1. To cook food, especially by roasting, frying, or grilling, so that the outside b
To cook food, especially by roasting, frying, or grilling, so that the outside becomes hard, dry, and light golden brown — for example, crisping bacon under a grill or letting potato skins turn brown and crunchy in the oven.
Jabari crisped the bacon under the grill until it was golden brown.
transitive: crisp + noun (food)
The sliced potatoes need about thirty minutes to crisp in a hot oven.
intransitive: food + to crisp
Putri crisped the chicken skin by roasting it at two hundred degrees.
The bread began to crisp around the edges under the grill.
A light coating of oil helps the nuts crisp evenly in the pan.
- soften
making food lose its crisp texture, the opposite outcome
文法句型
crisp + noun (food)
food + crisp(s) (intransitive)
crisp + up (phrasal variant, intransitive)
用法筆記
Common in recipe instructions. The intransitive form (food + crisps) often pairs with a time reference or cooking method: 'fry until they crisp' or 'let them crisp in the oven.'
常見錯誤
2. To shape hair, fabric, or similar material into small curls, waves, or crimped f
To shape hair, fabric, or similar material into small curls, waves, or crimped folds, typically by applying heat or pressure — for instance, using a curling iron on hair or pressing a ribbon to create wavy edges.
Élise crisped her hair with a curling iron for the wedding reception.
crisp + hair + with a curling iron
The tailor crisped the edges of the silk ribbon with a hot press.
crisp + edges of fabric + with heat
Hari used metal rollers to crisp the ends of his beard before the party.
Inês crisped the hem of the dress by pressing it with a steam iron.
- straighten
to remove curls or waves from hair or fabric
文法句型
crisp + noun (hair, fabric edge, ribbon)
用法筆記
Most often found in hairstyling and tailoring contexts. The object is typically a body part (hair, beard) or a textile edge (hem, ribbon). 'Crimp' is a more common synonym in modern English.
常見錯誤
3. To make or cause a smooth surface — such as paper, fabric, water, or skin — to d
To make or cause a smooth surface — such as paper, fabric, water, or skin — to develop small folds, creases, or wave-like lines; for example, when wind ripples a pond or when a page gets crumpled at the corner.
The wind crisped the surface of the lake into tiny wavelets.
transitive: wind + crisp + water surface
Asher crisped the corner of the page while he was thinking.
The old photograph had crisped at the edges from years of sunlight.
Felipe frowned, crisping the skin between his eyebrows into tiny creases.
- smooth
to remove wrinkles or creases from a surface
文法句型
crisp + noun (surface, paper, water)
surface + crisps (intransitive)
用法筆記
This is the least common sense of 'crisp' as a verb. In modern English, 'wrinkle', 'ripple', or 'crease' are far more frequent for most surfaces. This sense appears most often in literary or descriptive writing.
常見錯誤
crisp — noun
1. a thin, flat, round piece of potato that has been fried until it is hard and cru
a thin, flat, round piece of potato that has been fried until it is hard and crunchy, sold in sealed bags and often flavoured with salt or other tastes.
Tariq bought a bag of salt-and-vinegar crisps from the shop near the station.
plural form crisps with quantifier 'a bag of'
A packet of crisps lay open on the kitchen table, half-eaten.
The party guests finished two large bowls of crisps in under an hour.
Mum asked me to pick up a few bags of crisps for the film night.
These crisps have a strong cheese-and-onion flavour that Trang really enjoys.
- potato chips
American English term for the same product
- chips
British informal shortening, e.g. 'a bag of chips' (but may also refer to hot fried potato pieces)
文法句型
crisps
a bag of crisps
a packet of crisps
用法筆記
Always used in the plural form (crisps) or with a quantifier (a bag of crisps). In American English the same snack is called potato chips.
常見錯誤
2. a dessert made by placing chopped fruit in a baking dish and covering it with a
a dessert made by placing chopped fruit in a baking dish and covering it with a crumbly topping of butter, sugar, and flour rubbed together, then baked until golden.
Aylin baked an apple crisp for dessert, and the whole family loved it.
apple crisp as a baked dessert dish
The fruit crisp was still warm when Hugo served it with vanilla ice cream.
Vinícius followed the recipe carefully to make a perfect peach crisp.
For the autumn party, Zuri prepared two crisps — one apple and one pear.
A well-made fruit crisp has a golden, crunchy topping and soft fruit underneath.
- crumble
British English term for a very similar baked fruit dessert
文法句型
fruit + crisp
apple crisp
peach crisp
cherry crisp
用法筆記
The type of fruit is named before 'crisp', e.g. apple crisp, peach crisp, cherry crisp. In British English this dessert is more commonly called a crumble.
常見錯誤
crisp — adjective
1. Firm and dry, so that it breaks into small pieces when pressed or bent — used fo
Firm and dry, so that it breaks into small pieces when pressed or bent — used for things like dry leaves, thin ice, or old paper.
The autumn leaves were so crisp that they cracked under Eve's feet.
collocation: crisp leaves / crisp ice / crisp parchment
Karim bit into the crisp wafer and it shattered into small pieces.
A thin layer of crisp ice covered the puddles after the cold night.
The old parchment had turned crisp and yellow with age.
Hassan carefully lifted the crisp sheet of dried paint from the canvas.
文法句型
crisp + noun
be + crisp
用法筆記
Often used predicatively after verbs like turn, become, or go: 'The leaves had gone crisp in the sun.' Not typically used for man-made brittle objects like glass or plastic.
常見錯誤
2. Food that has been baked or fried so that the outer surface becomes firm and mak
Food that has been baked or fried so that the outer surface becomes firm and makes a short breaking sound when bitten or cut — describes well-cooked bacon, biscuits, pastry, and roast potatoes.
The bacon was fried until it was golden and crisp around the edges.
collocation: crisp bacon / crisp cookies / crisp crust
Manuela baked the cookies until the tops were crisp and lightly browned.
A good pizza crust should be crisp on the outside and soft inside.
The roast potatoes turned a beautiful golden-brown with a crisp surface.
Quinn prefers his toast dark and crisp, not soft and chewy.
文法句型
crisp + noun
be + crisp
stay + crisp
cook until + crisp
用法筆記
Typically describes the outer layer or surface of cooked food. For food that is crisp all the way through (like crackers), 'crunchy' is more common in everyday speech. 'Crisp' does not describe raw food in this sense — see sense 3 for raw fruit and vegetables.
常見錯誤
3. Fresh fruit or vegetables that are firm and break cleanly when you bite or cut t
Fresh fruit or vegetables that are firm and break cleanly when you bite or cut them — describes the pleasant texture of recently picked produce like apples, lettuce, or celery.
Anjali bit into a crisp apple and juice ran down her chin.
collocation: crisp apple / crisp lettuce / crisp carrot
The salad was made with crisp lettuce, cucumber, and cherry tomatoes.
Pedro picked a crisp carrot from the garden and washed it under the tap.
For a refreshing snack, try crisp celery sticks with peanut butter.
The crisp green grapes were the sweetest fruit on the market stall.
文法句型
crisp + noun
be + crisp
taste + crisp
用法筆記
Unlike sense 2 (which describes cooked food), this sense applies only to raw, uncooked fruit and vegetables. A crisp apple has firm flesh, while a mealy or soft apple is the opposite.
常見錯誤
4. Cloth or paper that is stiff, smooth, and freshly cleaned or new — describes ite
Cloth or paper that is stiff, smooth, and freshly cleaned or new — describes items like a freshly ironed shirt, clean bed sheets, or a new banknote that has not been folded.
The waiter wore a crisp white shirt and a black bow tie.
collocation: crisp shirt / crisp sheets / crisp banknote
Sivan unfolded a crisp new banknote and placed it on the counter.
attributive use: crisp + noun (cloth/paper)
Yan ironed the tablecloth until it was smooth and crisp for the dinner party.
The hotel bed was covered in crisp white sheets that smelled of laundry soap.
Dario received a crisp envelope with his name written in elegant ink.
文法句型
crisp + noun
用法筆記
This sense is almost always used attributively (before the noun). 'The shirt is crisp' is possible but less common — the typical context is 'a crisp shirt/shirt/sheets/banknote.' Suggests newness or freshness, not just stiffness.
常見錯誤
5. A sound or image that is very clear and sharp, with every detail easy to hear or
A sound or image that is very clear and sharp, with every detail easy to hear or see — used for high-quality recordings, photographs, phone calls, or screens.
The recording captured every note with crisp, clean sound throughout the concert.
collocation: crisp sound / crisp picture / crisp image
Lukas adjusted the TV settings to get a sharper and crisper picture.
comparative form: sharper and crisper
The morning air carried the crisp sound of a distant church bell.
Dr. Chen's voice came through the phone loud and crisp despite the bad connection.
The photographer was pleased with the crisp details in the mountain photo.
文法句型
crisp + noun (sound/image)
be + crisp
sound/look + crisp
用法筆記
Commonly used with technical equipment — audio systems, cameras, televisions, phone calls. The opposite is 'muffled' (for sound) or 'blurry' (for images). Can be used in comparative forms: 'crisper,' 'crispest.'
6. Speech, writing, or behaviour that is quick, direct, and confident — it gets to
Speech, writing, or behaviour that is quick, direct, and confident — it gets to the point without wasting time or adding unnecessary detail.
The manager gave a crisp reply to the reporter's question and walked away.
collocation: crisp reply / crisp summary / crisp nod
The CEO's writing style is crisp and direct — she never wastes words.
predicative use: style is crisp
Joshua delivered a crisp summary of the project in under two minutes.
The chairperson's crisp nod told the team the meeting was over.
The instructions were crisp and easy to follow, leaving no room for confusion.
- long-winded
using too many words to say something simple
- vague
unclear and lacking a direct message
- hesitant
showing uncertainty rather than confidence
文法句型
crisp + noun (reply/summary/style)
be + crisp
用法筆記
This sense has a positive tone — it implies efficiency and confidence. A crisp response is not the same as a rude or abrupt one; the negative counterpart would be 'curt' or 'brusque.' Frequently used for business and professional contexts.
常見錯誤
7. describes weather that is pleasantly cold and dry, with clear skies and bright s
describes weather that is pleasantly cold and dry, with clear skies and bright sunshine
A crisp autumn morning greeted the hikers as they set off.
collocation: crisp + morning
The weather turned crisp and bright after last night's heavy rain.
collocation: turn + crisp
Lara prefers to run on crisp mornings when the sun is still low.
Chidi enjoyed the crisp, cool weather during his mountain holiday.
Owen decided to take a long walk on that crisp Saturday afternoon.
文法句型
crisp + noun (morning, day, weather)
be + crisp
用法筆記
Often paired with nouns like 'morning', 'day', or 'afternoon'. The cold described is refreshing, not uncomfortably harsh.
常見錯誤
8. describes air that feels cold, clean, and refreshing when you breathe it in
describes air that feels cold, clean, and refreshing when you breathe it in
Élise took a deep breath of the crisp mountain air.
collocation: crisp + air
The crisp air of early spring filled the valley with the scent of pine.
Hoa opened the car window to feel the crisp air on her cheeks.
After the thunderstorm passed, the crisp air smelled of wet earth.
Imran could taste the salt in the crisp air near the coastline.
- fresh
more general; does not necessarily imply cold
- bracing
stronger — suggests air that wakes you up
- invigorating
emphasises the energising effect on the body
文法句型
crisp + air
be + crisp (for air)
用法筆記
Almost always used with the noun 'air'. For related nouns like 'breeze' or 'wind', the COOL WEATHER sense (sense 7) applies instead.
常見錯誤
9. describes hair that forms small, tight curls or springy waves — for example, nat
describes hair that forms small, tight curls or springy waves — for example, naturally curly hair or hair styled into curls
Yuna's naturally crisp hair formed small, springy curls around her face.
The hairdresser used a special cream to create crisp waves in her client's hair.
collocation: crisp + waves
Abigail prefers a wide-tooth comb for her thick, crisp curls.
Pim's crisp hair bounced as he hurried to catch the morning bus.
Vinícius applies coconut oil to keep his crisp curls from drying out.
文法句型
crisp + hair / curls / waves
用法筆記
A less frequent sense of 'crisp'. In everyday speech, 'curly' or 'wavy' are the usual choices. This sense appears more often in hair-product descriptions or styling guides.