crank

¹ American  

[krangk] / kræŋk /

noun

1. 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.

2. Informal. an ill-tempered, grouchy person.

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

4. an eccentric or whimsical notion.

5. a strikingly clever turn of speech or play on words.

6. Archaic. a bend; turn.

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

8. Automotive Slang. a crankshaft.

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verb (used with object)

• cranks,
  present (3rd person singular)
• cranked,
  past participle,  past
• cranking
  present participle

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

2. to furnish with a crank.

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

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

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

verb (used without object)

• cranks,
  present (3rd person singular)
• cranked,
  past participle,  past
• cranking
  present participle

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

2. Obsolete. to turn and twist; zigzag.

adjective

1. unstable; shaky; unsteady.

2. of, relating to, or by an unbalanced or overzealous person.

   a crank phone call; crank mail.

3. British Dialect. cranky.

verb phrase

1. 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.

2. crank in / into to incorporate as an integral part.

   Overhead is cranked into the retail cost.

3. crank down to cause to diminish or terminate.

   the president's efforts to crank down inflation.

4. crank up

   1. to get started or ready.

      The theater season is cranking up with four benefit performances.

   2. to stimulate, activate, or produce.

      to crank up enthusiasm for a new product.

   3. to increase one's efforts, output, etc..

      Industry began to crank up after the new tax incentives became law.

crank ² American  

[krangk] / kræŋk /

adjective

Nautical.

1. Also having a tendency to roll easily, as a boat or ship; tender (opposed to stiff).

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noun

1. a crank vessel.

crank ³ American  

[krangk] / kræŋk /

adjective

British Dialect.

1. lively; high-spirited.

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crank ¹ British  

/ kræŋk /

noun

1. 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

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

3. informal

   1. an eccentric or odd person, esp someone who stubbornly maintains unusual views

   2. a bad-tempered person

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verb

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

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

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

4. obsolete (intr) to twist or wind

crank ² British  

/ kræŋk /

adjective

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

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• crankness
  noun
• crankless
  adjective
• noncranking
  adjective
• uncranked
  adjective
• crankly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Participles

• cranking
  present
• cranked
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• crank
  simple
• cranks
  simple
• have cranked
  perfect
• has cranked
  perfect
• am cranking
  progressive
• are cranking
  progressive
• is cranking
  progressive
• have been cranking
  perfect progressive
• has been cranking
  perfect progressive

Past

• cranked
  simple
• had cranked
  perfect
• was cranking
  progressive
• were cranking
  progressive
• had been cranking
  perfect progressive

Future

• will crank
  simple
• will have cranked
  perfect
• will be cranking
  progressive
• will have been cranking
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of crank¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English crank, cronk, Old English cranc-, in crancstæf, a kind of weaver's tool ( see staff ¹)

Origin of crank²

First recorded in 1690–1700; probably to be identified with crank ¹, but sense development unclear; see also crank-sided

Origin of crank³

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English cranke; of obscure origin

Explanation

To crank is to turn or rotate something using a handle or lever. The earliest automobiles required drivers to crank the engine before they could climb in and start driving. You might crank a paper towel machine in a restroom to unspool the towels, or crank a music box to start it up — in either case, you're turning a handle, which is also called a crank. You can also say that you crank up the engine when you start your car, even though you're not literally turning or winding anything. A completely different kind of crank is a grouchy, opinionated person. This last meaning comes from cranky.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

crank cranks cranked cranking

“It will be warm Monday, then really crank up Tuesday. ... In the valleys, we’re looking at anything between 100 and 110.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 23, 2026

EV startup Slate Auto is generating buzz with an electric truck so basic it has crank windows and no radio.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026

Exercise makes your cells crank out more energy, helps your heart pump more blood, and your lungs bring in more air.

From Barron's ● Jun. 27, 2026

So crank up the Victrola, press play on Spotify and nestle into your headphones.

From Salon ● Jun. 5, 2026

Sean: Why don’t you just crank it up, then turn it off again right before they get home?

From "Among the Hidden" by Margaret Peterson Haddix

What a setback for anyone who saw a childhood ruined by Bucky Dent, or yanks the plug when the jukebox cranks up Billy Joel.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 8, 2026

The partition that once sealed out the cranks and mediocrities has been permanently sundered.

From Slate ● Mar. 6, 2026

Harris-Aguirre helps moderate a ham-radio Facebook group and says the word “friendly” is in the group name so cranks stay away.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 25, 2026

This audit of a breakdown smashes both together and cranks the tension up to eleven.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 5, 2025

I assure them he does exist and is not a crank: cranks do not get elected as Fellows of the British Academy.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

But instead of forking over $30 for the piece of plastic, he spent a few cents on filament and cranked out a custom solution.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026

The exit of Maeda, last season's title hero, following confirmation that Kelechi Iheanacho and Marcelo Saracchi would not be returning to Parkhead, cranked up the fury among the fanbase.

From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026

As Archer cranked up the pace, Phillips spent plenty of time on the floor, ducking and diving.

From BBC ● Jun. 17, 2026

“I just cranked up the leverage and prayed to Jeff,” Gallo says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 13, 2026

I was cranked to a fifth gear, and everything I did, I did on a deadline.

From "Tuesdays with Morrie" by Mitch Albom

At 88, Scott is still cranking out movies with little apparent interest in slowing down.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026

The food-and-beverage industry has been cranking out new products to cut through consumer malaise and compete with retailers’ store-brand products, which are cheaper but at times just as innovative.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026

Beijing introduced new rules this month cracking down on overseas investments, citing national security concerns and cranking up curbs on buying US shares that were imposed on Chinese investors in May.

From Barron's ● Jul. 3, 2026

The factory that built it now belongs to Tesla, cranking out electric vehicles.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 13, 2026

He heard voices—shouts— over the cranking of the landing pad, and his mind slammed back to cold reality.

From "The Kill Order (Maze Runner, Book Four; Origin)" by James Dashner

Related Words

• zealot