¹screw

noun \ˈskrü\

Definition of SCREW

a : a simple machine of the inclined plane type consisting of a spirally grooved solid cylinder and a correspondingly grooved hollow cylinder into which it fits

b : a nail-shaped or rod-shaped piece with a spiral groove and a slotted or recessed head designed to be inserted into material by rotating (as with a screwdriver) and used for fastening pieces of solid material together

a : a screwlike form : spiral

b : a turn of a screw; also : a twist like the turn of a screw

c : a screwlike device (as a corkscrew)

: a worn-out horse

chiefly British : a small packet (as of tobacco)

: a prison guard

: a person who bargains shrewdly; also : skinflint

: a propeller especially of a ship

a : thumbscrew 1

b : pressure or punitive measures intended to coerce —used chiefly in the phrase put the screws on or put the screws to

a usually vulgar : an act of sexual intercourse

b usually vulgar : a partner in sexual intercourse

— screw·like \-ˌlīk\ adjective

— have a screw loose

: to be mentally unbalanced

See screw defined for English-language learners

See screw defined for kids

Origin of SCREW

Middle English scrue, from Middle French escroe female screw, nut, from Medieval Latin scrofa, from Latin, sow

First Known Use: 15th century

Other Hardware Terms

adze, auger, awl, chock, ferrule, punch, tang

Rhymes with SCREW

blue, boo, brew, chew, clew, clue, coo, coup, crew, cue, dew, do, doux, due, ewe, few, flu, flue, fou, glue, gnu, goo, hew, hue, Jew, Koo, lieu, loo, mew, moo, moue, mu, new, nu, ooh, pew, phew, pooh, q, queue, roux, rue, shoe, shoo, shrew, Sioux, skew, slew, slough, slue, smew, sou, sous, spew, sprue, stew, strew, sue, Sue, thew, through, to, too, true, two, u, view, whew, who, woo, xu, yew, you, zoo

²screw

verb

Definition of SCREW

transitive verb

a (1) : to attach, fasten, or close by means of a screw (2) : to unite or separate by means of a screw or a twisting motion (3) : to press tightly in a device (as a vise) operated by a screw (4) : to operate, tighten, or adjust by means of a screw (5) : to torture by means of a thumbscrew

b : to cause to rotate spirally about an axis

a (1) : to twist into strained configurations : contort <screwed up his face> (2) : squint (3) : crumple

b : to furnish with a spiral groove or ridge : thread

: to increase the intensity, quantity, or capability of <trying to screw up courage to confess — Will Scott>

a (1) : to mistreat or exploit through extortion, trickery, or unfair actions; especially : to deprive of or cheat out of something due or expected (2) : to treat so as to bring about injury or loss (as to a person's reputation) <use the available Federal machinery to screw our political enemies — J. W. Dean III> —often used as a generalized curse <screw you!>

b : to extract by pressure or threat

usually vulgar : to copulate with

intransitive verb

: to rotate like or as a screw

: to turn or move with a twisting or writhing motion

usually vulgar : copulate

— screw·er noun

See screw defined for English-language learners