butterfly-screw

A technician tightens a butterfly-screw on the control panel.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A type of screw with a head shaped like butterfly wings: "butterfly-screw" refers to a screw that has a large head with two projections (like wings) that allow it to be turned by hand without the need for tools.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The technician tightened the butterfly-screw on the equipment by hand. (A screw with wing-like projections for manual turning.)
  • You can adjust the clamp using the butterfly-screw without a screwdriver. (A screw designed for hand operation.)

Advanced Usage

• "butterfly-screw" in mechanical contexts: Often used in devices where frequent adjustments are needed, such as in clamps, vices, or camera tripods.
  • The butterfly-screw on the tripod allows quick height adjustment. (The wing-shaped screw enables easy manual control.)

Variants and Related Words

• Butterfly nut (n): a nut with wing-like projections, used similarly for hand-tightening.

  • The butterfly nut is paired with a butterfly-screw for quick assembly. (A matching fastener with wings for manual use.)

• Thumbscrew (n): a screw with a flattened head that can be turned by thumb pressure.

  • A thumbscrew is similar to a butterfly-screw but has a simpler head. (A comparable hand-operated fastener.)

Synonyms

• Wing screw: a screw with wing-shaped projections for hand turning.
• Hand screw: a screw designed to be operated without tools.

Related Idioms