crank

[ krangk ]

/ kræŋk /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR crank ON THESAURUS.COM

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.

Nearby words

Origin of crank

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

Related formscrank·less, adjectivenon·crank·ing, adjectiveun·cranked, adjective

crank

[ krangk ]

/ kræŋk /

adjective Nautical.

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

noun

a crank vessel.

Origin of crank

1690–1700; probably to be identified with crank¹, but sense developement unclear; cf. crank-sided

crank

[ krangk ]

/ kræŋk /

adjective British Dialect.

lively; high-spirited.

Origin of crank

1350–1400; Middle English cranke, of obscure origin

Related formscrank·ly, adverbcrank·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for crank

The wonderful reign of Queen Elizabeth has everyone worried about what will happen when her crank of a son takes the throne.
Imagining Prince Charles as King Makes All of Britain Wish They Could Leave Like Scotland|Clive Irving|September 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Before the marriage it was already obvious that he was a bit of a crank.
Imagining Prince Charles as King Makes All of Britain Wish They Could Leave Like Scotland|Clive Irving|September 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I belong to the “Soccer Hater” demographic – middle-aged Republican crank with long, blonde hair and a great pair of gams.
Up To a Point: Oops, I Enjoyed Soccer|P. J. O’Rourke|July 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I belong to the “Soccer Hater” demographic—middle-aged Republican crank with long, blonde hair and a great pair of gams.
DUP-Up To a Point: Oops, I Enjoyed Soccer|P. J. O’Rourke|July 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST

An uncomfortable urinary infection is going to feel way worse than those few minutes you spent trying to crank out your work.
8 Signs You’re Way Too Stressed (and How to Deal)|DailyBurn|March 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In a direct-acting engine the throw of the crank is equal to the stroke of the piston.
An Introduction to Machine Drawing and Design|David Allan Low
Two speeds were obtained by means of spur gearing between the crank shaft and the counter shaft.
Automobile Biographies|Lyman Horace Weeks
The crank is a short lever which transmits the power from the connecting rod to the crank shaft.
Farm Engines and How to Run Them|James H. Stephenson
Hawes looked at the face of the crank to see how much had been done, and lo!
It Is Never Too Late to Mend|Charles Reade
A machinist is making a crank pin (a kind of bolt) for an engine, according to this drawing.
The Teaching of Geometry|David Eugene Smith

British Dictionary definitions for crank

crank

/ (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

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for crank

crank

Old English *cranc, implied in crancstæf "a weaver's instrument," crencestre "female weaver, spinster," from Proto-Germanic base *krank-, and related to crincan "to bend, yield" (see crinkle, cringe). English retains the literal sense of the ancient root, while German and Dutch krank "sick," formerly "weak, small," is a figurative use.

The sense of "an eccentric person," especially one who is irrationally fixated, is first recorded 1833, said to be from the crank of a barrel organ, which makes it play the same tune over and over; but more likely a back-formation from cranky (q.v.). Meaning "methamphetamine" attested by 1989.

crank

1590s, "to zig-zag," from crank (n.). Meaning "to turn a crank" is first attested 1908, with reference to automobile engines. Related: Cranked; cranking.

crank

noun

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

adjective

Verb Phrases

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of crank

crank

adjective Nautical.

noun

Origin of crank

crank

adjective British Dialect.

Origin of crank

Examples from the Web for crank

crank

noun

verb

Word Origin for crank

adjective

Word Origin for crank

crank

crank