Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense screws, present participle screwing, past tense, past participle screwed
1. countable noun
A screw is a metal object similar to a nail, with a raised spiral line around it. You turn a screw using a screwdriver so that it goes through two things, for example two pieces of wood, and fastens them together.
Each bracket is fixed to the wall with just three screws.
Synonyms: nail, pin, tack, rivet More Synonyms of screw
2. verb
If you screw something somewhere or if it screws somewhere, you fix it in place by means of a screw or screws.
I had screwed the shelf on the wall myself. [VERB noun preposition]
Screw down any loose floorboards. [VERB noun with adverb]
I particularly like the type of shelving that screws to the wall. [VERB preposition/adverb]
Synonyms: fasten, fix, attach, bolt More Synonyms of screw
3. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
A screw lid or fitting is one that has a raised spiral line on the inside or outside of it, so that it can be fixed in place by twisting.
...an ordinary jam jar with a screw lid.
4. verb
If you screw something somewhere or if it screws somewhere, you fix it in place by twisting it round and round.
Kelly screwed the silencer onto the pistol. [VERB noun preposition]
Screw down the lid fairly tightly. [VERB noun with adverb]
This device screws into the shutter release button. [VERB preposition/adverb]
...several aluminium poles that screw together to give a maximum length of 10 yards. [VERB preposition/adverb]
Synonyms: turn, wind, twist, tighten More Synonyms of screw
5. verb
If you screw something such as a piece of paper into a ball, you squeeze it or twist it tightly so that it is in the shape of a ball.
[British]
He screwed the paper into a ball and tossed it into the fire. [VERB noun + into]
regional note: in AM, use crush
Synonyms: crumple, crush, squash, crunch More Synonyms of screw
6. verb
If you screw your face or your eyes into a particular expression, you tighten the muscles of your face to form that expression, for example because you are in pain or because the light is too bright.
He screwed his face into an expression of mock pain. [VERB noun + into]
Synonyms: contort, twist, distort, contract More Synonyms of screw
7. verb
If someone screws someone else or if two people screw, they have sex together.
[rude]
8. verb
Some people use screw in expressions such as screw you or screw that to show that they are not concerned about someone or something or that they feel contempt for them.
[rude, feelings]
9. verb [usually passive]
If someone says that they have been screwed, they mean that someone else has cheated them, especially by getting money from them dishonestly.
[informal, rude]
They haven't given us accurate information. We've been screwed. [beVERB-ed]
The consumer is getting screwed by cover charges as well. [getVERB-ed]
10. verb
If someone screws something, especially money, out of you, they get it from you by putting pressure on you.
[mainly British, informal]
For decades rich nations have been screwing money out of poor nations. [V n + out of]
Synonyms: squeeze, extort, wring, extract More Synonyms of screw
11. countable noun
Prisoners often refer to prison officers as screws.
[informal]
12. countable noun
A screw is a propeller on a ship or an aircraft.
[technical]
13.
See turn the screw(s) on someone
14.
See turn of the screw
Phrasal verbs:
See screw up
screw in British English
(skruː)
noun
1.
a device used for fastening materials together, consisting of a threaded and usually tapered shank that has a slotted head by which it may be rotated so as to cut its own thread as it bores through the material
2. Also called: screw-bolt
a threaded cylindrical rod that engages with a similarly threaded cylindrical hole; bolt
3.
a thread in a cylindrical hole corresponding with that on the bolt or screw with which it is designed to engage
4.
anything resembling a screw in shape or spiral form
5.
a twisting movement of or resembling that of a screw
6. Also called: screw-back billiards, snooker
a.
a stroke in which the cue ball recoils or moves backward after striking the object ball, made by striking the cue ball below its centre
b.
the motion resulting from this stroke
7. another name for propeller (sense 1)
8. slang
a prison guard
9. British slang
salary, wages, or earnings
10. British
a small amount of salt, tobacco, etc, in a twist of paper
11. slang
a person who is mean with money
12. slang
an old, unsound, or worthless horse
13. (often plural) slang
force or compulsion (esp in the phrase put the screws on)
14. vulgar, slang
an act of sexual intercourse
15. have a screw loose
16. turn the screw
verb
17. (transitive)
to rotate (a screw or bolt) so as to drive it into or draw it out of a material
18. (transitive)
to cut a screw thread in (a rod or hole) with a tap or die or on a lathe
19.
to turn or cause to turn in the manner of a screw
20. (transitive)
to attach or fasten with a screw or screws
21. (transitive) informal
to take advantage of; cheat
22. (transitive; often foll byup)
to distort or contort
he screwed his face into a scowl
23. Also: screw back
to impart a screw to (a ball)
24. (tr, often foll by from or out of)
to coerce or force out of; extort
25. vulgar, slang
to have sexual intercourse (with)
26. (transitive) slang
to burgle
27. have one's head screwed on
▶ USAGE The use of this otherwise utilitarian word in a sexual sense, though recorded in an18th century slang dictionary, does not appear to have really taken off until wellinto the 20th. Although a classic example of the anatomical metaphor for the sex actseen from the male point of view, it can be used with a woman as the subject, whichsuggests that the metaphor is all but dead
Derived forms
screwer (ˈscrewer)
noun
screwlike (ˈscrewˌlike)
adjective
Word origin
C15: from French escroe, from Medieval Latin scrōfa screw, from Latin: sow, presumably because the thread of the screw is like the spiralof the sow's tail
screw in American English
(skru)
noun
1.
a.
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
: also called male screw
b.
the internal thread, or helical groove, as of a nut, into which a male screw, bolt, etc. can be turned
: also called female screw
c.
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
3.
a.
anything that spirals or twists like the thread of a screw
b.
the act of spiraling, twisting, or moving like this
4. Slang
a prison guard
5. Chiefly British
a small amount of tobacco, salt, etc. in a twist of paper
6. Chiefly British, Slang
a.
a stingy person; miser
b.
a crafty bargainer
c.
a worn-out horse
7. British, Slang
a salary
8. Slang, Vulgar
a.
an act or instance of sexual intercourse
b.
a person with whom one engages in sexual intercourse, often, specif., one of specified competence
verb transitive
9.
to twist; turn; tighten
10.
a.
to fasten, make secure, tighten, insert, etc. with or as with a screw or screws
b.
to put together or take apart with a screwlike motion
11.
to twist out of natural shape; contort
to screw one's face up
12.
to make stronger; intensify
often with up
13.
to force or compel, as if by using screws
14. Slang
a.
to cheat; swindle
b.
to treat unfairly
15. Slang, Vulgar
to have sexual intercourse with
verb intransitive
16.
to go together or come apart by being turned or twisted in the manner of a screw
a lid that screws on
17.
to twist; turn; wind; have a motion like that of a screw
18. Slang, Vulgar
to engage in sexual intercourse
Idioms:
have a screw loose
put the screws on
screw around
screw up
Word origin
ME screwe < MFr escroue, hole in which the screw turns < L scrofa, sow, infl. by scrobis, vulva
screw in Mechanical Engineering1
(skru)
Word forms: (regular plural) screws
noun
(Mechanical engineering: Machinery and components)
A screw is a metal device for fastening materials together. It consists of a shank with sharp threads that cut their own thread in a material as the screw is rotated with a screwdriver.
Remove the screws with a screwdriver.
Tighten all screws gradually, in rotation.
A screw is a metal device for fastening materials together. It consists of a shank with sharpthreads that cut their own thread in a material as the screw is rotated with a screwdriver.
screw in Mechanical Engineering2
(skru)
Word forms: (present) screws, (past) screwed, (perfect) screwed, (progressive) screwing
verb
(Mechanical engineering: Manufacturing and assembly)
If you screw a screw or bolt, you rotate it to put it into or take it out of a material.
COLLOCATIONS: ~ in
Screw the screws tightly.
The cap can be screwed in using a small screwdriver.
If you screw a screw or bolt, you rotate it to put it into or take it out of a material.
More idioms containing
screw
have a screw loose
turn the screw on someone
In other languages
screw
British English: screw /skruː/ NOUN
A screw is a small metal device for fixing things together. It has a wide top, a pointed end, and a groove along its length.
Each shelf is fixed to the wall with screws.
American English: screw
Arabic: قَلَاوُوظ
Brazilian Portuguese: parafuso
Chinese: 螺丝钉
Croatian: vijak
Czech: šroub
Danish: skrue
Dutch: schroef
European Spanish: tornillo
Finnish: ruuvi
French: vis
German: Schraube
Greek: βίδα
Italian: vite asta filettata
Japanese: ねじ
Korean: 나사못
Norwegian: skrue
Polish: śruba
European Portuguese: parafuso
Romanian: șurub
Russian: винт
Latin American Spanish: tornillo
Swedish: skruv
Thai: ตะปูควง
Turkish: vida
Ukrainian: шуруп
Vietnamese: đinh vít
British English: screw VERB
If you screw something somewhere or if it screws somewhere, you fix it in place by means of a screw or screws.
I had screwed the shelf on the wall myself.
American English: screw
Brazilian Portuguese: parafusar
Chinese: 用螺钉固定
European Spanish: atornillar
French: visser
German: schrauben
Italian: avvitare
Japanese: ねじで取り付ける
Korean: 나사로 고정하다
European Portuguese: aparafusar
Latin American Spanish: atornillar
All related terms of 'screw'
cap screw
a screwed bolt with a cylindrical head having a hexagonal recess . The bolt is turned using a wrench of hexagonal cross section
ice screw
a screwed tubular or solid steel rod with a ring at one end for inserting into ice as an anchor point
lag screw
a woodscrew with a square head
lug screw
a small screw without a head
screw cap
a cap that screws on to a thread around the opening of a jar , bottle , etc to form a seal
screw eye
a wood screw with its shank bent into a ring
screw-in
fitting in by being twisted
screw lid
a lid with a threaded rim that is turned on the corresponding thread on the neck of a bottle or container to close it securely
screw-on
having a threaded rim that is turned on the corresponding thread on the neck of a bottle or container to close it securely
screw tap
a valve by which a fluid flow from a pipe can be controlled by opening and closing an orifice
screw top
A screw-top bottle or jar has a lid that is secured by being twisted on.
screw up
If you screw up your eyes or your face , you tighten your eye or face muscles , for example because you are in pain or because the light is too bright .
Allen screw
a screw that has a hexagonal cross section in the head, designed to be turned using an Allen key
bleed screw
A bleed screw is a type of tap or valve that helps to drain a hydraulic system, such as a brake system.
coach screw
a large screw with a square head used in timber work in buildings, etc
grub screw
a small headless screw having a slot cut for a screwdriver or a socket for a hexagon key and used to secure a sliding component in a determined position
lead screw
a threaded rod that drives the tool carriage in a lathe when screw cutting, etc
screw-back
a device used for fastening materials together, consisting of a threaded and usually tapered shank that has a slotted head by which it may be rotated so as to cut its own thread as it bores through the material
screw bean
the spirally twisted pod growing on a mesquite tree ( Prosopis pubescens ) of the SW U.S., often used for fodder
screw-bolt
a device used for fastening materials together, consisting of a threaded and usually tapered shank that has a slotted head by which it may be rotated so as to cut its own thread as it bores through the material
screw hook
a screw with a hook for a head
screw jack
a lifting device utilizing the mechanical advantage of a screw thread, the effort being applied through a bevel drive
screw joint
a type of joint that is fastened by means of screws
screw pile
a pile with a threaded tip that is screwed into the ground by a winch or capstan
screw pine
any of various pandanaceous plants of the Old World tropical genus Pandanus , having a spiral mass of pineapple-like leaves and heavy conelike fruits
screw plate
a steel plate with threaded holes used for making male screws
twin-screw
(of a vessel) having two propellers
wood screw
a screw with a sharp point, for use in wood
binding screw
a screw used to secure one thing to another
machine screw
a fastening screw with a machine-cut thread throughout the length of its shank
screw around
to waste time
screw thread
the helical ridge on a screw formed by a die or lathe tool
levelling screw
a screw , often one of three, for adjusting the level of an apparatus
Phillips screw
a screw having a cruciform slot into which a screwdriver with a cruciform point ( Phillips screwdriver ( trademark )) fits
Robertson screw
a screw having a square hole in the head into which a screwdriver with a square point ( Robertson screwdriver ( trademark )) fits
screw conveyor
a duct along which material is conveyed by the rotational action of a spiral vane which lies along the length of the duct
screw extruder
A screw extruder is a type of mixer which moves the components through a cylinder using a screw which turns.
screw propeller
an early form of ship's propeller in which an Archimedes ' screw is used to produce thrust by accelerating a flow of water
Archimedes' screw
an ancient type of water-lifting device making use of a spiral passage in an inclined cylinder . The water is raised when the spiral is rotated
interrupted screw
a screw with a slot or slots cut into the thread , esp one used in the breech of some guns permitting both engagement and release of the block by a partial turn of the screw
micrometer screw
a screw with a fine thread of definite pitch , such as that of a micrometer gauge
turn the screw
to increase the pressure
acme screw thread
a type of screw thread having inclined flat flanks and a flat top and bottom : used in machine tools
self-tapping screw
a screw that cuts its own thread when screwed into a plain hole in a metal sheet
patent log
any of several mechanical devices for measuring the speed of a vessel and the distance travelled , consisting typically of a trailing rotor that registers its rotations on a meter
have a screw loose
to be slightly crazy
Sellers screw thread
a thread form in a system of standard sizes proposed by Sellers in 1884 and later accepted as standard in the USA, having a 60° flank angle with a flat top and foot
turn of the screw
You can refer to each of a series of threats or actions which are intended to force someone to do a particular thing as another turn of the screw .
unified screw thread
a screw thread system introduced for defence equipment (1939–44), in which the thread form and pitch were a compromise between British Standard Whitworth and American Standard Sellers : adopted by the International Standards Organization
thumbscrew
A thumbscrew is an object that was used in the past to torture people by crushing their thumbs.