dial. Also cream, crim. [Of obscure etymology: possibly two or even three distinct words are here included. The various senses belong to distinct parts of England.
The variant crim has suggested identity with OE. crimman to squeeze, press (cf. sense 2); but the evidence does not show that crim is the earlier form, rather the contrary: and it is not easy to see how creem with its long vowel could arise from the ablaut series krim-, kram, krum-.]
1. trans. To put, place or deposit secretly or surreptitiously. (northern.)
1674. Ray, N. C. Words, 12. Creem it into my hand: Put it in slily or secretly. Chesh.
a. 1700. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, Creeme, to slip or slide anything into another’s Hand.
1746. J. Collier (Tim Bobbin), View Lanc. Dial., Wks. (1862), 53. I creemt Nip neaw on then o Lunshun.
1887. S. Cheshire Gloss., Creem, to hide. ‘Creem it up,’ put it out of sight, hide it in your dress or pocket…. It is a rare word, and rapidly becoming obsolete.
2. To squeeze; to hug. (Devon and Cornw.)
1746. Exmoor Courtship (E. D. S.), 326. Tha hast a creem’d ma Yearms and a most bost ma neck.
1864. Capern, Devon Provinc., He creemed my hand.
1880. W. Cornwall Gloss., Creem, to squeeze, to mash … To hug in wrestling.
1880. E. Cornwall Gloss., Creem, to squeeze.
3. intr. To shiver. trans. To cause to shiver, to chill. Hence Creemed ppl. a., chilled and shivering. (south-western.)
1847–78. Halliwell, Crim, to shiver. I. Wight.
1880. E. Cornwall Gloss., Creem … is metaphorically used to describe that sensation of rigor or creeping of the flesh, known as goose flesh, cutis anserina, ‘Creemed wi’ the cold.’
1880. Mrs. Parr, Adam & Eve, iv. 44. Do ’ee go near to the fire … you looks all creemed with the cold, and as wisht as can be.
1888. W. Somerset Word-bk., Creamy … to shiver, to shudder.
