screwdriver

American  

[skroo-drahy-ver] / ˈskruˌdraɪ vər /

noun

screwdrivers plural

1. a hand tool for turning a screw, consisting of a handle attached to a long, narrow shank, usually of metal, which tapers and flattens out to a tip that fits into the slotted head of a screw.

2. a mixed drink made with vodka and orange juice.

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screwdriver British  

/ ˈskruːˌdraɪvə /

noun

1. a tool used for turning screws, usually having a handle of wood, plastic, etc, and a steel shank with a flattened square-cut tip that fits into a slot in the head of the screw

2. an alcoholic beverage consisting of orange juice and vodka

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• screwdrivers
  plural

Etymology

Origin of screwdriver

First recorded in 1770–80; screw + driver

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

screwdriver screwdrivers

“If you were a humanoid robot, would you use a screwdriver or invent a new screwdriver?” he asked.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 7, 2026

The FBI collected a screwdriver containing Robinson’s DNA on the rooftop of a building at Utah Valley University and a firearm wrapped in a towel that had been discarded in a nearby wooded area.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 15, 2025

Marks that look like they were made with a screwdriver or crowbar were left behind.

From BBC ● Jan. 1, 2025

Getting any product to consumers, whether it's a can of sardines or a screwdriver, requires that supply chains function well.

From Salon ● Oct. 2, 2024

He looked up again, studying her, then lay down his screwdriver.

From "A Place to Belong" by Cynthia Kadohata

From screwdrivers to weapons, there is no need to reinvent existing tools.

From BBC ● Jun. 8, 2026

Its factories once stretched for nearly a mile down Myrtle Street, pumping out millions of screwdrivers, drills and other tools that, without exaggeration, helped build America over the past two centuries.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 6, 2026

Notice how it is shut tight with unique screws that require special screwdrivers.

From New York Times ● Sep. 8, 2022

Spacious laundry rooms can also provide storage for common household items, such as batteries, flashlights and lightbulbs, as well as small everyday tools like tape measures and screwdrivers.

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 3, 2022

Brushes, screwdrivers, and spray bottles hung on small hooks along the walls.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel