screw: Meaning and Definition of

screw

Pronunciation: (skr), [key]
— n.
  1. a metal fastener having a tapered shank with a helical thread, and topped with a slotted head, driven into wood or the like by rotating, esp. by means of a screwdriver.
  2. a threaded cylindrical pin or rod with a head at one end, engaging a threaded hole and used either as a fastener or as a simple machine for applying power, as in a clamp, jack, etc. Cf. (def. 3).
  3. a tapped or threaded hole.
  4. something having a spiral form.
  5. See
  6. Usually,physical or mental coercion: The terrified debtor soon felt the gangster's screws.
  7. a single turn of a screw.
  8. a twist, turn, or twisting movement.
    1. a little salt, sugar, tobacco, etc., carried in a twist of paper.
    2. Slang.a mean, old, or worn-out horse; a horse from which one can obtain no further service.
    3. Slang.a friend or employer from whom one can obtain no more money.
    4. Slang.a miser.
  9. salary; wages.
  10. a prison guard.
  11. .
    1. an act of coitus.
    2. a person viewed as a sexual partner.
  12. to be eccentric or neurotic; have crazy ideas: You must have a screw loose to keep so many cats.
  13. to compel by exerting pressure on; use coercion on; force: They kept putting the screws on him for more money.
—v.t.
  1. to fasten, tighten, force, press, stretch tight, etc., by or as if by means of a screw or device operated by a screw or helical threads.
  2. to operate or adjust by a screw, as a press.
  3. to attach with a screw or screws: to screw a bracket to a wall.
  4. to insert, fasten, undo, or work (a screw, bolt, nut, bottle top with a helical thread, etc.) by turning.
  5. to contort as by twisting; distort: Father screwed his face into a grimace of disgust.
  6. to cause to become sufficiently strong or intense (usually fol. by up): I screwed up my courage to ask for a raise.
  7. to coerce or threaten.
  8. to extract or extort.
  9. to force (a seller) to lower a price (often fol. by down).
  10. to cheat or take advantage of (someone).
  11. . to have coitus with.
—v.i.
  1. to turn as or like a screw.
  2. to be adapted for being connected, taken apart, opened, or closed by means of a screw or screws or parts with helical threads (usually fol. by on, together, or off&hasp;): This top screws on easily.
  3. to turn or move with a twisting or rotating motion.
  4. to practice extortion.
  5. . to have coitus.
  6. If you'd stop screwing around we could get this job done.
    1. to waste time in foolish or frivolous activity:If you'd stop screwing around we could get this job done.
    2. Vulgar.to engage in promiscuous sex.
    1. to do nothing; loaf.
    2. to leave; go away.
  7. Somehow the engineers screwed up the entire construction project.
    1. to ruin through bungling or stupidity:Somehow the engineers screwed up the entire construction project.
    2. to make a botch of something; blunder.
    3. to make confused, anxious, or neurotic.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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