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screw Definition

screw (skro̵̅o̅)

noun

    1. a mechanical device for fastening things together, consisting essentially of a cylindrical or conical piece of metal threaded evenly around its outside surface with an advancing spiral ridge and commonly having a slotted head: it penetrates only by being turned, as with a screwdriver
    2. the internal thread, or helical groove, as of a nut, into which a male screw, bolt, etc. can be turned
    3. the act or an instance of turning such a screw
  2. any of various devices operating or threaded like a screw, as a jackscrew or screw propeller
    1. anything that spirals or twists like the thread of a screw
    2. the act of spiraling, twisting, or moving like this
  4. Slang a prison guard
  5. Chiefly Brit. a small amount of tobacco, salt, etc. in a twist of paper
  6. Chiefly Brit., Slang
    1. a stingy person; miser
    2. a crafty bargainer
    3. a worn-out horse
  7. Brit., Slang a salary
  8. Slang, Vulgar
    1. an act or instance of sexual intercourse
    2. a person with whom one engages in sexual intercourse, often, specif., one of specified competence

Etymology: ME screwe < MFr escroue, hole in which the screw turns < L scrofa, sow, infl. by scrobis, vulva

transitive verb

  1. to twist; turn; tighten
    1. to fasten, make secure, tighten, insert, etc. with or as with a screw or screws
    2. to put together or take apart with a screwlike motion
  3. to twist out of natural shape; contort to screw one's face up
  4. to make stronger; intensify: often with up
  5. to force or compel, as if by using screws
  6. Slang
    1. to cheat; swindle
    2. to treat unfairly
  7. Slang, Vulgar to have sexual intercourse with

intransitive verb

  1. to go together or come apart by being turned or twisted in the manner of a screw a lid that screws on
  2. to twist; turn; wind; have a motion like that of a screw
  3. Slang, Vulgar to engage in sexual intercourse

screw Idioms

have a screw loose

Slang to be eccentric, odd, etc.

put the screws on

☆

Informal to subject to force; exert pressure on, as in exacting payment; coerce

screw around

Slang to waste time

screw up

☆

Informal to make a mess of, as by ineptness; bungle; foul up

screw Synonyms

screw

n.

spiral, worm, bolt, pin; see also fastener.

Types of screws include: jack, lead, leveling, dowel, double, drive, Hindley's, lag, worm, male, outside, female, inside, Phillips (trademark), right-handed, left-handed, metric, milled, endless, reciprocal, tapping, carriage, drill, regulating, set, winged, thumb, rigger's, right-and-left, setting up, society, spiral, triple, feed, wood, machine, dry wall, sheet metal.

have a screw loose*

be crazy, be touched in the head, be off one's rocker*, be off one's nut*; see insane 1.

put the screws to*

compel, coerce, give the treatment*; see force 1.

screw Synonyms

screw

v.

twine, wind, contort; see turn 1, twist.

screw Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • tighten: Useful for tightening those awkward little screws in glasses.
  • unscrew: Clear Password Take off bottom housing of AcerNote 970 by unscrewing 7 screws.
  • countersink: To allow the fitting to slide in to the housing you may have to countersink this screw.
  • loosen: A ' dumb end ' allows different heads to be fitted, simply by loosening a socket screw.
  • undo: Undo the two screws which secure the bottom of the Atom.

Preposition: down

  • crown: It is water resistant to 200 meters with screw down crown.

Adjective modifier

  • stainless: The ankle was put back on with some good surgery and seven stainless steel screws.
  • allen: The allen screws are just there to steady the pole once the security bolt is pushed through.
  • rust-free: Other features include Stainless steel rust-free screws, plus an anchor kit for fixing down the building to your base or paved area.

Modifies a noun

  • extruder: The usual construction is to use the planetary section for mixing, feeding the compound into a single screw extruder for metering.
  • extruders: At K Battenfeld is showing machines with both planetary and twin screw extruders as the metering stage.
  • thread: Macro lenses usually attach to your housing via a screw thread or an adapter.
  • fixings: If the back of the plate is shaped for the screw fixings, use a countersink tool to bore out a recess for these.
  • conveyor: Other handling systems can be based on screw conveyors or chain and flight conveyors.

Noun used with modifier

  • grub: To change the bulb, simply remove two tiny grub screws with a hexagonal key.
  • self-tapping: Fit the board to the top section of the case, and replace the four self-tapping screws.
  • thumb: I would have preferred it if the screws were thumb screws or at least slightly bigger screws as these ones are tiny.
  • stand-off: The copper or brass stand-off screws come with the case.
  • cork: The ladies will love the wine stopper, and the gents the cork screw.
  • adjuster: An adjuster screw allows you to set V-groove widths very easily.
screw Quotes

Thestrongest possiblepiece of advicethat Icouldgiveto any young woman is: Don't screwaround and don't smoke.

—Currie, Edwina