screw

I. noun Etymology: Middle English scrue, from Middle French escroe female screw, nut, from Medieval Latin scrofa, from Latin, sow Date: 15th century 1. a. a simple machine of the inclined plane type consisting of a spirally grooved solid cylinder and a correspondingly grooved hollow cylinder into which it fits b. a nail-shaped or rod-shaped piece with a spiral groove and a slotted or recessed head designed to be inserted into material by rotating (as with a screwdriver) and used for fastening pieces of solid material together 2. a. a screwlike form ; spiral b. a turn of a screw; also a twist like the turn of a screw c. a screwlike device (as a corkscrew) 3. a worn-out horse 4. chiefly British a small packet (as of tobacco) 5. a prison guard 6. a person who bargains shrewdly; also skinflint 7. a propeller especially of a ship 8. a. thumbscrew 1 b. pressure or punitive measures intended to coerce — used chiefly in the phrase put the screws on or put the screws to 9. a. usually vulgar an act of sexual intercourse b. usually vulgar a partner in sexual intercourse • screwlike adjective II. verb Date: 1605 transitive verb 1. a. (1) to attach, fasten, or close by means of a screw (2) to unite or separate by means of a screw or a twisting motion <

screw the two pieces together

> (3) to press tightly in a device (as a vise) operated by a screw (4) to operate, tighten, or adjust by means of a screw (5) to torture by means of a thumbscrew b. to cause to rotate spirally about an axis 2. a. (1) to twist into strained configurations ; contort <

screwed up his face

> (2) squint (3) crumple b. to furnish with a spiral groove or ridge ; thread 3. to increase the intensity, quantity, or capability of <

trying to screw up courage to confess — Will Scott

> 4. a. (1) to mistreat or exploit through extortion, trickery, or unfair actions; especially to deprive of or cheat out of something due or expected <

screwed out of a job

> (2) to treat so as to bring about injury or loss (as to a person's reputation) <

use the available Federal machinery to screw our political enemies — J. W. Dean III

> — often used as a generalized curse <

screw you!

> b. to extract by pressure or threat 5. usually vulgar to copulate with intransitive verb 1. to rotate like or as a screw 2. to turn or move with a twisting or writhing motion 3. usually vulgar copulate • screwer noun