screw

/skru:/

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Thân thiện

A carpenter uses a screw to fasten two pieces of wood together.

Definition

Noun:
- A type of fastener: A metal fastener with a spiral ridge (thread) around a pointed shaft, designed to be turned into a material to hold things together.
- A propeller: A propeller on a ship or aircraft, consisting of blades set at an angle to the hub.
- A simple machine: An inclined plane wrapped around a cylinder, used to convert rotational motion into linear force.
- Slang for sexual intercourse: (Vulgar) An act of sexual intercourse.
- A prison guard: (Slang) A prison guard or warden.
- A miserly person: (Informal) A stingy or unpleasant person.
Verb:
- To fasten or tighten with a screw: To attach, fasten, or tighten something using a screw or a screwing motion.
- To twist or turn: To move or cause to move with a twisting motion, like a screw.
- To contort or tighten (a part of the face): To tighten or contract a part of the face, such as the eyes or mouth.
- To pressure or extort: To force or pressure someone into doing something, often to obtain money or information.
- Slang for sexual intercourse: (Vulgar) To have sexual intercourse with someone.
- To cheat or swindle: (Informal) To defeat or take advantage of someone through trickery.

Usage Examples

Noun:
- I need a screw to fix this loose hinge. (Referring to the fastener.)
- The ship's screw churned the water. (Referring to the propeller.)
- He's such a screw; he never buys a round of drinks. (Referring to a stingy person.)
Verb:
- Please screw the lid back on the jar. (To fasten by turning.)
- She screwed up her face in disgust. (To contort the face.)
- The landlord tried to screw more rent out of the tenants. (To extort or pressure.)

Advanced Usage

"to have a screw loose": (Idiom) To be slightly crazy or eccentric.
- He thinks he can fly? He must have a screw loose.
"to put the screws on (someone)": (Idiom) To pressure or force someone to do something.
- The boss is putting the screws on us to finish the project early.

Variants and Related Words

Screwdriver (n): A tool for turning screws.
Screwball (n, adj): (Informal) An eccentric or crazy person; (in baseball) a type of pitch.
Screwy (adj): (Informal) Crazy, absurd, or illogical.
- That's a screwy idea.

Synonyms

Related Phrasal Verbs

Screw around: (Informal) To waste time or act foolishly; to be sexually promiscuous.
- Stop screwing around and get to work.
Screw up: (Informal) To make a mistake or mess something up; to tighten or fasten completely; to contort (one's face).
- I really screwed up the presentation. (To make a mistake.)
- Screw up the lid tightly. (To fasten.)
- He screwed up his eyes against the bright light. (To contort.)
Screw over: (Informal) To treat someone unfairly; to cheat or betray someone.
- The company screwed over its employees by cutting their benefits.

Related Idioms

A turn of the screw: An action that makes a bad situation worse, especially by increasing pressure.
- The new deadline was just another turn of the screw for the stressed team.
Screw your courage to the sticking-place: To summon or strengthen one's bravery or resolve. (From Shakespeare's Macbeth)
- You need to screw your courage to the sticking-place and ask for the promotion.

A carpenter uses a screw to fasten two pieces of wood together.

Noun

slang for sexual intercourse
a fastener with a tapered threaded shank and a slotted head
a propeller with several angled blades that rotates to push against water or air
a simple machine of the inclined-plane type consisting of a spirally threaded cylindrical rod that engages with a similarly threaded hole
someone who guards prisoners

Verb

defeat someone through trickery or deceit
tighten or fasten by means of screwing motions
- Screw the bottle cap on
cause to penetrate, as with a circular motion
- drive in screws or bolts
turn like a screw
have sexual intercourse with
- This student sleeps with everyone in her dorm
- Adam knew Eve
- Were you ever intimate with this man?

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