Machinery. any of several types of arms or levers for imparting rotary or oscillatory motion to a rotating shaft, one end of the crank being fixed to the shaft and the other end receiving reciprocating motion from a hand, connecting rod, etc.
Informal. an ill-tempered, grouchy person.
an unbalanced person who is overzealous in the advocacy of a private cause.
an eccentric or whimsical notion.
a strikingly clever turn of speech or play on words.
Archaic. a bend; turn.
Slang. the nasal decongestant propylhexedrine, used illicitly for its euphoric effects.
AutomotiveSlang. a crankshaft.
verb (used with object)
to bend into or make in the shape of a crank.
to furnish with a crank.
Machinery. to rotate (a shaft) by means of a crank.
to start (an internal-combustion engine) by turning the crankshaft manually or by means of a small motor.
to start the engine of (a motor vehicle) by turning the crankshaft manually.
verb (used without object)
to turn a crank, as in starting an automobile engine.
Obsolete. to turn and twist; zigzag.
adjective
unstable; shaky; unsteady.
of, relating to, or by an unbalanced or overzealous person: a crank phone call; crank mail.
BritishDialect. cranky1 (def. 5).
Verb Phrases
crank down,to cause to diminish or terminate: the president's efforts to crank down inflation.
crank in / intoto incorporate as an integral part: Overhead is cranked into the retail cost.
crank out,to make or produce in a mass-production, effortless, or mechanical way: She's able to crank out one best-selling novel after another.
crank up,Informal.
to get started or ready: The theater season is cranking up with four benefit performances.
to stimulate, activate, or produce: to crank up enthusiasm for a new product.
to increase one's efforts, output, etc.: Industry began to crank up after the new tax incentives became law.
Origin of crank
1
First recorded before 1000; Middle English crank, cronk, Old English cranc-, in crancstæf, a kind of weaver's tool (see staff1)
The wonderful reign of Queen Elizabeth has everyone worried about what will happen when her crank of a son takes the throne.
Imagining Prince Charles as King Makes All of Britain Wish They Could Leave Like Scotland|Clive Irving|September 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Before the marriage it was already obvious that he was a bit of a crank.
Imagining Prince Charles as King Makes All of Britain Wish They Could Leave Like Scotland|Clive Irving|September 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I belong to the “Soccer Hater” demographic – middle-aged Republican crank with long, blonde hair and a great pair of gams.
Up To a Point: Oops, I Enjoyed Soccer|P. J. O’Rourke|July 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I belong to the “Soccer Hater” demographic—middle-aged Republican crank with long, blonde hair and a great pair of gams.
DUP-Up To a Point: Oops, I Enjoyed Soccer|P. J. O’Rourke|July 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
An uncomfortable urinary infection is going to feel way worse than those few minutes you spent trying to crank out your work.
8 Signs You’re Way Too Stressed (and How to Deal)|DailyBurn|March 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In a direct-acting engine the throw of the crank is equal to the stroke of the piston.
An Introduction to Machine Drawing and Design|David Allan Low
Two speeds were obtained by means of spur gearing between the crank shaft and the counter shaft.
Automobile Biographies|Lyman Horace Weeks
The crank is a short lever which transmits the power from the connecting rod to the crank shaft.
Farm Engines and How to Run Them|James H. Stephenson
Hawes looked at the face of the crank to see how much had been done, and lo!
It Is Never Too Late to Mend|Charles Reade
A machinist is making a crank pin (a kind of bolt) for an engine, according to this drawing.
The Teaching of Geometry|David Eugene Smith
British Dictionary definitions for crank (1 of 2)
crank1
/ (kræŋk) /
noun
a device for communicating motion or for converting reciprocating motion into rotary motion or vice versa. It consists of an arm projecting from a shaft, often with a second member attached to it parallel to the shaft
Also called: crank handle, starting handlea handle incorporating a crank, used to start an engine or motor
informal
an eccentric or odd person, esp someone who stubbornly maintains unusual views
US and Canadiana bad-tempered person
verb
(tr)to rotate (a shaft) by means of a crank
(tr)to start (an engine, motor, etc) by means of a crank handle
(tr)to bend, twist, or make into the shape of a crank
(intr)obsoleteto twist or wind
See also crank up
Word Origin for crank
Old English cranc; related to Middle Low German krunke wrinkle, Dutch krinkelcrinkle
British Dictionary definitions for crank (2 of 2)
crank2
cranky
/ (kræŋk) /
adjective
(of a sailing vessel) easily keeled over by the wind; tender
Word Origin for crank
C17: of uncertain origin; perhaps related to crank1