crank

[ krangk ]

/ kræŋk /

noun

Machinery. any of several types of arms or levers for imparting rotary or oscillatory motion to a rotating shaft, one end of the crank being fixed to the shaft and the other end receiving reciprocating motion from a hand, connecting rod, etc.

Informal. an ill-tempered, grouchy person.

an unbalanced person who is overzealous in the advocacy of a private cause.

an eccentric or whimsical notion.

a strikingly clever turn of speech or play on words.

Archaic. a bend; turn.

Slang. the nasal decongestant propylhexedrine, used illicitly for its euphoric effects.

Automotive Slang. a crankshaft.

verb (used with object)

to bend into or make in the shape of a crank.

to furnish with a crank.

Machinery. to rotate (a shaft) by means of a crank.

to start (an internal-combustion engine) by turning the crankshaft manually or by means of a small motor.

to start the engine of (a motor vehicle) by turning the crankshaft manually.

verb (used without object)

to turn a crank, as in starting an automobile engine.

Obsolete. to turn and twist; zigzag.

adjective

unstable; shaky; unsteady.

of, relating to, or by an unbalanced or overzealous person: a crank phone call; crank mail.

British Dialect. cranky¹(def 5).

Verb Phrases

crank down, to cause to diminish or terminate: the president's efforts to crank down inflation.

crank in/into, to incorporate as an integral part: Overhead is cranked into the retail cost.

crank out, to make or produce in a mass-production, effortless, or mechanical way: She's able to crank out one best-selling novel after another.

crank up, Informal.

to get started or ready: The theater season is cranking up with four benefit performances.
to stimulate, activate, or produce: to crank up enthusiasm for a new product.
to increase one's efforts, output, etc.: Industry began to crank up after the new tax incentives became law.

Origin of crank

before 1000; Middle English cranke, Old English cranc-, in crancstǣf crank (see staff¹)

OTHER WORDS FROM crank

crank·less, adjective non·crank·ing, adjective un·cranked, adjective

Words nearby crank

craniosynostosis, craniotabes, craniotomy, craniotympanic, cranium, crank, crank in, crank letter, crank out, crank up, crank-sided

British Dictionary definitions for crank out (1 of 2)

crank ¹

/ (kræŋk) /

noun

a device for communicating motion or for converting reciprocating motion into rotary motion or vice versa. It consists of an arm projecting from a shaft, often with a second member attached to it parallel to the shaft

Also called: crank handle, starting handle a handle incorporating a crank, used to start an engine or motor

informal

an eccentric or odd person, esp someone who stubbornly maintains unusual views
US and Canadian a bad-tempered person

verb

(tr) to rotate (a shaft) by means of a crank

(tr) to start (an engine, motor, etc) by means of a crank handle

(tr) to bend, twist, or make into the shape of a crank

(intr) obsolete to twist or wind

Word Origin for crank

Old English cranc; related to Middle Low German krunke wrinkle, Dutch krinkel crinkle

British Dictionary definitions for crank out (2 of 2)

crank ²

cranky

/ (kræŋk) /

adjective

(of a sailing vessel) easily keeled over by the wind; tender

Word Origin for crank

C17: of uncertain origin; perhaps related to crank 1

Idioms and Phrases with crank out

crank out

Produce, especially mechanically or rapidly, as in I don't know how he can crank out a novel a year. [Colloquial; mid-1900s]

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

crank

noun

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

adjective

Verb Phrases

Origin of crank

OTHER WORDS FROM crank

Words nearby crank

British Dictionary definitions for crank out (1 of 2)

noun

verb

Word Origin for crank

British Dictionary definitions for crank out (2 of 2)

cranky

adjective

Word Origin for crank

Idioms and Phrases with crank out

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

crank

noun

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

adjective

Verb Phrases

Origin of crank

OTHER WORDS FROM crank

Words nearby crank

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for crank out (1 of 2)

noun

verb

Word Origin for crank

British Dictionary definitions for crank out (2 of 2)

cranky

adjective

Word Origin for crank

Idioms and Phrases with crank out

British Dictionary definitions for crank out (1 of 2)