machine screw

American

noun

a threaded fastener, either used with a nut or driven into a tapped hole, usually having a diameter of about 1/4 inch (6.4 millimeters) or less and a slotted head for tightening by a screwdriver.

machine screw British

noun

a fastening screw with a machine-cut thread throughout the length of its shank

"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

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

DeFiore’s drama started innocently enough, with the arrival of a simple envelope holding two tiny machine screws.

From Seattle Times

Fully dismantle your grinder into these pieces: Screw the motor into the lid using your four 4-40 machine screws.

From The Verge

You can boost the holding power by replacing the existing screws with machine screws and matching threaded inserts.

From Washington Post

Make three holes in the base in a triangular pattern and slot in the three machine screws - these need to be at least 40mm long.

From BBC

A machine screw is a small screw, such as in Fig.

From Project Gutenberg

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023