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crumble

[kruhm-buhl]

Origin

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verb (used with object)

to break into small fragments or crumbs.

verb (used without object)

to fall into small pieces; break or part into small fragments.

to decay or disintegrate gradually: The ancient walls had crumbled.

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to steal or take dishonestly (money, esp. public funds, or property entrusted to one's care); embezzle.

to chew (food) slowly and thoroughly.

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noun

a crumbly or crumbled substance.

crumbles, bits of crisp bacon, bread, etc., added to other foods, especially as a topping.

British Dialect. crumb; particle; fragment.

Origin:
1375–1425; earlier crymble, crimble; late Middle English kremelen, akin to crome crumb; see -le

Related forms

crum·bling·ness, noun

half-crum·bled, adjective

un·crum·bled, adjective

Synonyms
1. mash, shatter. 2. disintegrate.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Collins

World English Dictionary

crumble (ˈkrʌmb^əl)

—vb
1.	to break or be broken into crumbs or fragments
2.	(intr) to fall apart or away: his resolution crumbled

—n
3.	(Brit) a baked pudding consisting of a crumbly mixture of flour, fat, and sugar over stewed fruit: apple crumble

[C16: variant of crimble, of Germanic origin; compare Low German krömeln, Dutch kruimelen]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline

Word Origin & History

crumble

O.E. *crymelan, presumed frequentative of gecrymman "to break into crumbs," from cruma (see crumb). The -b- is probably on analogy of Fr. words like humble, where it belongs.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage

Idioms & Phrases

crumble

see that's how the ball bounces (cookie crumbles).