skru: n. & v. --n. 1 a
thin cylinder or
cone with a
spiral ridge or
thread running round the outside (male screw) or the
inside (female screw). 2 (in full wood-screw) a
metal male screw with a slotted
head and a
sharp point for fastening things,
esp. in
carpentry, by
being rotated to
form a thread in
wood etc. 3 (in full screw-bolt) a metal male screw with a
blunt end on
which a
nut is threaded to bolt things
together. 4 a
wooden or metal
straight screw used to
exert pressure. 5 (in
sing. or pl.) an
instrument of
torture acting in
this way. 6 (in full screw-propeller) a form of
propeller with twisted blades acting like a screw on the
water or
air. 7
one turn of a screw. 8 (foll. by of)
Brit. a
small twisted-up
paper (of
tobacco etc.). 9 Brit. (in
billiards etc.) an
oblique curling motion of the ball. 10 sl. a
prison warder. 11 Brit. sl. an
amount of
salary or wages. 12
coarse sl. a an
act of
sexual intercourse. b a
partner in this. °Usually considered a
taboo use. 13 sl. a mean or
miserly person. 14 sl. a worn-out
horse. --v. 1 tr.
fasten or
tighten with a screw or screws. 2 tr. turn (a screw). 3 intr.
twist or turn round like a screw. 4 intr. (of a ball etc.)
swerve. 5 tr. a put
psychological etc. pressure on to
achieve an end. b
oppress. 6 tr. (foll. by
out of)
extort (consent,
money, etc.)
from (a person). 7 tr. (also absol.) coarse sl.
have sexual intercourse with. °Usually considered a taboo use. 8 intr. (of a rolling ball, or of a person etc.)
take a curling
course; swerve. 9 intr. (often foll. by up)
make tenser or
more efficient. øhave one's head
screwed on the
right way colloq. have
common sense. have a screw
loose colloq. be slightly
crazy. put the screws on colloq. exert pressure, esp. to extort or
intimidate. screw
cap = screw top. screw-coupling a
female screw with threads at
both ends for joining lengths of pipes or rods. screw
eye a screw with a
loop for
passing cord etc.
through instead of a slotted head. screw
gear an
endless screw with a cog-wheel or pinion. screw
hook a hook to
hang things
on, with a screw point for fastening
it. screw-jack a
vehicle jack (see JACK(1)) worked by a screw
device. screw pine
any plant of the
genus Pandanus, with
its leaves arranged spirally and resembling
those of a
pineapple. screw-plate a
steel plate with threaded holes for
making male screws. screw-tap a
tool for making female screws. screw top (also (with hyphen) attrib.) a cap or
lid that can be screwed on to a
bottle, jar, etc. screw up 1
contract or
contort (one's
face etc.). 2 contract and
crush into a
tight mass (a
piece of paper etc.). 3
summon up (one's
courage etc.). 4 sl. a
bungle or
mismanage. b
spoil or
ruin (an
event,
opportunity, etc.). screw-up n. sl. a bungle,
muddle, or
mess. screw
valve a
stopcock opened and
shut by a screw. øøscrewable adj. screwer n. [ME f. OF escroue female screw, nut, f. L scrofa sow]