Link Centre Dictionary

crank

UK/ˈkɹæŋk/ US/ˈkʰɹʷæŋk/ fairly common informal slang uk us
noun (4) adjective (1) verb (5)

noun

1.
2.
3.
4.

a hand tool consisting of a rotating shaft with parallel handle

Synonyms

adjective

1.

(used of boats) inclined to heel over easily under sail

Synonyms
Similar

verb

1.

travel along a zigzag path

  • “The river zigzags through the countryside”
Synonyms
2.

start by cranking

  • “crank up the engine”
Synonyms
3.

rotate with a crank

Synonyms
4.

fasten with a crank

5.

diminish, as by friction

  • “Erosion wore away the surface”

Origin

From Middle English crank, cronk, from a shortening of Old English crancstæf (“weaving tool, crank”, literally “bent or crooked staff”), the first element ultimately related to Etymology 1 above.

Phrases

  • crank letter
  • yank one's crank
  • yank someone's crank

Related words

Word family

Broader terms

Narrower terms

Entails

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.