screw

American  

[skroo] / skru /

noun

1. a metal fastener having a tapered shank with a helical thread, and topped with a slotted head, driven into wood or the like by rotating, especially by means of a screwdriver.

2. a threaded cylindrical pin or rod with a head at one end, engaging a threaded hole and used either as a fastener or as a simple machine for applying power, as in a clamp, jack, etc.

3. British. a tapped or threaded hole.

4. something having a spiral form.

5. screw propeller.

6. Usually screws. physical or mental coercion.

   The terrified debtor soon felt the gangster's screws.

7. a single turn of a screw.

8. a twist, turn, or twisting movement.

9. Chiefly British.

   1. a little salt, sugar, tobacco, etc., carried in a twist of paper.

   2. Slang. a mean, old, or worn-out horse; a horse from which one can obtain no further service.

   3. Slang. a friend or employer from whom one can obtain no more money.

   4. Slang. a miser.

10. British Informal. salary; wages.

    It's not my dream job, but the screw's decent enough.

11. Slang. a prison guard.

12. Slang: Vulgar.

    1. an act of sexual intercourse.

    2. a person viewed as a sexual partner.

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verb (used with object)

1. to fasten, tighten, force, press, stretch tight, etc., by or as if by means of a screw or device operated by a screw or helical threads.

2. to operate or adjust by a screw, as a press.

3. to attach with a screw or screws.

   to screw a bracket to a wall.

4. to insert, fasten, undo, or work (a screw, bolt, nut, bottle top with a helical thread, etc.) by turning.

5. to contort as by twisting; distort (often followed byup ).

   Dad screwed his face into a grimace of disgust.

6. to cause to become sufficiently strong or intense (usually followed byup ).

   I screwed up my courage to ask for a raise.

7. to coerce or threaten.

8. to extract or extort.

   Synonyms:

   squeeze, exact, force, wrest, wring

9. to force (a seller) to lower a price (often followed bydown ).

10. Slang. to cheat or take advantage of (someone).

11. Slang: Vulgar. to have sexual intercourse with.

verb (used without object)

1. to turn as or like a screw.

2. to be adapted for being connected, taken apart, opened, or closed by means of a screw or screws or parts with helical threads (usually followed by on, together, oroff ).

   This top screws on easily.

3. to turn or move with a twisting or rotating motion.

4. to practice extortion.

5. Slang: Vulgar. to have sexual intercourse.

verb phrase

1. screw off

   1. to do nothing; loaf.

   2. to leave; go away.

2. screw up

   1. to ruin through bungling or stupidity.

      Somehow the engineers screwed up the entire construction project.

   2. to make a botch of something; blunder.

      Sorry, I guess I screwed up.

   3. to make confused, anxious, or neurotic.

      Losing your job can really screw you up.

3. screw around

   1. to waste time in foolish or frivolous activity.

      If you'd stop screwing around we could get this job done.

   2. Vulgar. to engage in promiscuous sex.

idioms

1. have a screw loose, to be eccentric or neurotic; have crazy ideas.

   You must have a screw loose to keep so many cats.

2. put the screws on, to compel by exerting pressure on; use coercion on; force.

   They kept putting the screws on him for more money.

3. have one’s head screwed on right/straight. head.

screw British  

/ skruː /

noun

1. a device used for fastening materials together, consisting of a threaded and usually tapered shank that has a slotted head by which it may be rotated so as to cut its own thread as it bores through the material

2. Also called: screw-bolt.  a threaded cylindrical rod that engages with a similarly threaded cylindrical hole; bolt

3. a thread in a cylindrical hole corresponding with that on the bolt or screw with which it is designed to engage

4. anything resembling a screw in shape or spiral form

5. a twisting movement of or resembling that of a screw

6. Also called: screw-back.  billiards snooker

   1. a stroke in which the cue ball recoils or moves backward after striking the object ball, made by striking the cue ball below its centre

   2. the motion resulting from this stroke

7. another name for propeller

8. slang a prison guard

9. slang salary, wages, or earnings

10. a small amount of salt, tobacco, etc, in a twist of paper

11. slang a person who is mean with money

12. slang an old, unsound, or worthless horse

13. slang (often plural) force or compulsion (esp in the phrase put the screws on )

14. slang sexual intercourse

15. informal to be insane

16. slang to increase the pressure

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verb

1. (tr) to rotate (a screw or bolt) so as to drive it into or draw it out of a material

2. (tr) to cut a screw thread in (a rod or hole) with a tap or die or on a lathe

3. to turn or cause to turn in the manner of a screw

4. (tr) to attach or fasten with a screw or screws

5. informal (tr) to take advantage of; cheat

6. to distort or contort

   he screwed his face into a scowl

7. Also: screw back.  to impart a screw to (a ball)

8. (tr, often foll by from or out of) to coerce or force out of; extort

9. slang to have sexual intercourse (with)

10. slang (tr) to burgle

11. informal to be wise or sensible

screw More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing screw

• have a screw loose
• pluck (screw) up one's courage
• tighten the screws
• turn up the heat (put the screws on)

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Usage

The use of this otherwise utilitarian word in a sexual sense, though recorded in an 18th century slang dictionary, does not appear to have really taken off until well into the 20th. Although a classic example of the anatomical metaphor for the sex act seen from the male point of view, it can be used as a transitive verb by women, which suggests that the metaphor is all but dead

Other Word Forms

• screwable adjective
• screwer noun
• screwless adjective
• screwlike adjective

Etymology

Origin of screw

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English noun scrwe, screw(e); compare Middle French escro(ue) “nut,” Middle Dutch schrûve, Middle High German schrûbe “screw”

Example Sentences

"How can you ask for co-operative behaviour when you screw them on trade?" he says.

From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026

There was one more turn of the screw: In responding to Torres Campos’ appellate filing, Bonar “doubled down,” Buchanan wrote.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 2026

So the ability of this CPA to screw things up is limited.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 27, 2026

“But I think the basketball stuff is really what differentiates the experience…knowing how to work in a team, how to build relationships, being able to handle constructive feedback when you screw up.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 2026

In my mind, I heard Sr. Rivera ask him about Maribel, and I saw Garrett screw up his face because he didn’t understand what Sr. Rivera was saying.

From "The Book of Unknown Americans" by Cristina Henríquez

Related Words

• crumple
• pucker
• scrunch