crimping fellow, n. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

crimping fellow n.

[SE crimp, one who ‘presses’ men into the RN against their will]

a blackguard, an untrustworthy villain.

c.1698		B.E. Dict. Canting Crew n.p.: A Crimping Fellow, a sneaking Cur.
1725		New Canting Dict. [as cit. c.1968].
1737, 1759, 1760, 1776		Bailey Universal Etym. Eng. Dict. [as cit. c.1698].