Definition

1. Noun:
   • A wrench for turning a screw: A hand tool, typically a type of wrench, designed specifically to fit into and turn the head of a screw to tighten or loosen it.

Usage

• The term "screw key" is a specific, functional name for a tool. It is used in technical, mechanical, or DIY contexts.
• It is less common in everyday American English, where terms like "screwdriver" (for slotted or Phillips heads) or specific wrench names (e.g., "hex key," "Allen key") are more frequently used. "Screw key" can be considered a more general or sometimes archaic term.

Examples

• Noun:
  • I need a screw key to adjust the tension on this machine.
  • The antique clock came with a set of specialized screw keys for maintenance.

Advanced Usage

• The term can sometimes be used in historical contexts or when referring to tools for very specific, often older, types of screw heads (e.g., square-headed screws).

Variants and Related Words

• Wrench: A general term for a hand tool used to provide grip and mechanical advantage in turning objects like nuts, bolts, or pipes.
• Screwdriver: A tool with a shaped tip that fits into the head of a screw to turn it. This is the most common modern tool for driving screws.
• Hex key / Allen key: A type of screw key in the shape of an L-shaped bar with a hexagonal cross-section, used for screws with a hexagonal socket.
• Spanner: The British English term for what is called a "wrench" in American English.

Synonyms

• Wrench (in this specific context of turning a screw)
• Turning tool

Notes

• "Screw key" is not a phrasal verb or an idiom. It is a compound noun naming a specific object.
• It is important not to confuse "screw key" with a "key" for a lock, even though both are tools for turning.

Noun

1. a wrench for turning a screw