crank

[ krangk ]

/ kræŋk /

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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.

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of crank

First recorded before 1000; Middle English crank, cronk, Old English cranc-, in crancstæf, a kind of weaver's tool (see staff¹)

OTHER WORDS FROM crank

crankless, adjectivenon·crank·ing, adjectiveun·cranked, adjective

Other definitions for crank (2 of 3)

crank²

[ 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

First recorded in 1690–1700; probably to be identified with crank¹, but sense development unclear; see also crank-sided

Other definitions for crank (3 of 3)

crank³

[ krangk ]

/ kræŋk /

adjective British Dialect.

lively; high-spirited.

Origin of crank

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

OTHER WORDS FROM crank

crankly, adverbcrankness, noun

How to use crank in a sentence

Instead of surrendering to your busy schedule, grant yourself ten minutes to crank through this three-move bodyweight circuit from Rafique “Flex” Cabral, an ex-Marine, certified personal trainer, and co-founder of New York City–based Trooper Fitness.
Time-Crunched? Try This Effective 10-Minute Workout|Hayden Carpenter|September 29, 2020|Outside Online
In response to interferons, cells crank up protection measures that aim to curb viral replication.
Defects in early immune responses underlie some severe COVID-19 cases|Erin Garcia de Jesus|September 25, 2020|Science News
In short, the new architecture should make Nvidia’s cards monsters when it comes to cranking out HD graphics at high-frame rates.
Nvidia’s monstrous new graphics cards crank up the power while dropping their prices|Stan Horaczek|September 9, 2020|Popular-Science
It’s also that they’ll particularly boost the amount that’s needed during peak times, when temperatures are really roasting and everyone’s cranking up their AC at the same time.
Air conditioning technology is the great missed opportunity in the fight against climate change|James Temple|September 1, 2020|MIT Technology Review

That’s one explanation for subdued inflation since 2008, even as central banks cranked up the printing presses.
After $20 trillion in pandemic relief spending, there’s still no sign of inflation. What happened?|Bernhard Warner|August 25, 2020|Fortune
Clint (Eastwood) sets the bar high: he's still cranking out movies and interested.
Clooney: A Constant Charmer at the Altar|Tim Teeman|September 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
A slew of others, including most notably Motorola, Research in Motion (RIM), and Samsung, are cranking out their own versions.
Broke and Buying Anyway|Dan Lyons|October 2, 2011|DAILY BEAST
And sometimes that means cranking it up to ultra-high decibels.
Glenn Beck's Toxic Legacy|Howard Kurtz|April 11, 2011|DAILY BEAST
But the site seems to be cranking out its own articles and now the aggregation is complementary.
The Daily Beast Turns 2!|Tina Brown|October 5, 2010|DAILY BEAST
A DJ was cranking old disco tunes, everything from the Bee Gees to Chaka Khan.
The New Studio 54|Jacob Bernstein|December 1, 2009|DAILY BEAST
Outside of a little cranking these once difficult experiences had now become practically painless.
The Boy Grew Older|Heywood Broun
This is useful in starting, as the desired rich mixture is quickly obtained without an undue amount of cranking.
The Gasoline Motor|Harold Whiting Slauson
It did, however, and peace was restored before Zebedee finished attending to the trunks and cranking up Henry.
Vacation with the Tucker Twins|Nell Speed
When Ruth hastened to the court the brancardiers had shuffled in with the last of Charlies load and he was cranking up his car.
Ruth Fielding In the Red Cross|Alice B. Emerson
It took three hours of almost constant cranking of the unruly iron monster before the automobile could be made to start again.
The Automobilist Abroad|M. F. (Milburg Francisco) Mansfield

British Dictionary definitions for crank (1 of 2)

crank¹

/ (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 (2 of 2)

crank²

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

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

crank

Origin of crank

OTHER WORDS FROM crank

Other definitions for crank (2 of 3)

Origin of crank

Other definitions for crank (3 of 3)

Origin of crank

OTHER WORDS FROM crank

Words related to crank

How to use crank in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for crank (1 of 2)

Word Origin for crank

British Dictionary definitions for crank (2 of 2)

cranky

Word Origin for crank