crowbar
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: 1. A heavy iron lever with one end forged into a wedge: A straight metal bar, typically made of iron or steel, with a flattened, often slightly curved, wedge-shaped end. It is used as a hand tool to apply prying force, such as for opening crates, removing nails, or levering apart objects.
Usage
- The primary function of a crowbar is to provide mechanical advantage for prying, lifting, or moving heavy objects.
- It is a common tool in construction, demolition, and salvage work.
Examples
- Noun:
- He used a crowbar to pry open the wooden crate.
- The firefighter kept a crowbar in the truck for forcible entry.
- She levered up the old floorboards with a sturdy crowbar.
Advanced Usage
- "to crowbar something open/loose/apart": This verbal usage, though informal, describes the action of using a crowbar.
- They had to crowbar the door open after the lock jammed.
Variants and Related Words
- Pry bar: A general term for a lever tool used for prying; a crowbar is a specific type of pry bar.
- Wrecking bar: A similar tool, often with a claw for nail pulling on one end.
- Jimmy: (Slang, chiefly US) A short crowbar, often used by burglars.
Synonyms
- Lever: A more general term for a rigid bar used to exert pressure.
- Pry: Can refer to the action or a tool used for prying.
Related Phrases
- "Use a crowbar": The standard phrase for employing the tool.
- If the lid is stuck, you might need to use a crowbar.
- "Crowbar approach": (Figurative, informal) A method that is forceful, direct, and unsubtle.
- His negotiation style was a crowbar approach, with little finesse.
Noun
- a heavy iron lever with one end forged into a wedge