crank
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Related to cranking: cranking out, cranking up
crank 1
(krăngk)n.
1. A device for transmitting rotary motion, consisting of a handle or arm attached at right angles to a shaft.
2. A clever turn of speech; a verbal conceit: quips and cranks.
3. A peculiar or eccentric idea or action.
4. Informal
a. A grouchy person.
b. An eccentric person, especially one who is unduly zealous.
5. Slang Methamphetamine.
v. cranked, crank·ing, cranks
v.tr.
1.
a. To start or operate (an engine, for example) by or as if by turning a handle.
b. To move or operate (a window, for example) by or as if by turning a handle.
2. To make into the shape of a crank; bend.
3. To provide with a handle that is used in turning.
v.intr.
1. To turn a handle.
2. To wind in a zigzagging course.
adj.
Phrasal Verbs: Of, being, or produced by an eccentric person: a crank letter; a crank phone call.
crank out
To produce, especially mechanically and rapidly: cranks out memo after memo.
crank up
1. To cause to start or get started as if by turning a crank: cranked up a massive publicity campaign.
2. To cause to intensify, as in volume or force: cranks up the sound on the stereo.
[Middle English, from Old English cranc- (as in crancstæf, weaving implement).]
crank 2
(krăngk)adj. Nautical
Liable to capsize; unstable.
[Origin unknown.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
crank
(kræŋk)n
1. (Mechanical Engineering) 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
2. (General Engineering) Also called: crank handle or starting handle a handle incorporating a crank, used to start an engine or motor
3. informal
a. an eccentric or odd person, esp someone who stubbornly maintains unusual views
b. US and Canadian a bad-tempered person
vb
4. (Mechanical Engineering) (tr) to rotate (a shaft) by means of a crank
5. (Mechanical Engineering) (tr) to start (an engine, motor, etc) by means of a crank handle
6. (tr) to bend, twist, or make into the shape of a crank
7. (intr) obsolete to twist or wind
[Old English cranc; related to Middle Low German krunke wrinkle, Dutch krinkel crinkle]
crank
(kræŋk) orcranky
adj
(Nautical Terms) (of a sailing vessel) easily keeled over by the wind; tender
[C17: of uncertain origin; perhaps related to crank1]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
crank1
(kræŋk)n.
1. any of several types of arms or levers for imparting rotary or oscillatory motion to a rotating shaft.
2. Informal. an ill-tempered person.
3. an unbalanced person who is overzealous in the advocacy of a private cause.
4. a whimsical notion; conceit.
5. a strikingly clever turn of speech or play on words.
6. Archaic. a bend; turn.
7. methamphetamine prepared for illicit use.
8. a crankshaft.
v.t. 9. to rotate (a shaft) by means of a crank.
10. to start (an internal-combustion engine), esp. by turning the crankshaft manually.
11. to shape like a crank.
12. to furnish with a crank.
v.i. 13. to turn a crank, as in starting an automobile engine.
14. Obs. to turn and twist; zigzag.
15. crank out, to produce in a mass-production or mechanical way.
16. crank up,
adj. a. to get started.
b. to stimulate or produce: to crank up enthusiasm.
17. of, pertaining to, or by an unbalanced or overzealous person: a crank phone call.
[before 1000; Middle English cranke, Old English cranc-, in crancstǣf crank (see staff1)]
crank2
(kræŋk)also cranky
adj.
tending to roll easily, as a boat; tender (opposed to stiff).
[1690–1700; probably same as crank1]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
crank
Past participle: cranked
Gerund: cranking
| Imperative |
|---|
| crank |
| crank |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  crank - a bad-tempered person disagreeable person, unpleasant person - a person who is not pleasant or agreeable crabby person, crab - a quarrelsome grouch hothead, fire-eater - a belligerent grouch misanthrope, misanthropist - someone who dislikes people in general |
| 2. |  crank - a whimsically eccentric person | |
| 3. | crank - an amphetamine derivative (trade name Methedrine) used in the form of a crystalline hydrochloride; used as a stimulant to the nervous system and as an appetite suppressant deoxyephedrine, meth, methamphetamine, methamphetamine hydrochloride, Methedrine, shabu, chicken feed, chalk, trash, glass, ice amphetamine, pep pill, upper, speed - a central nervous system stimulant that increases energy and decreases appetite; used to treat narcolepsy and some forms of depression controlled substance - a drug or chemical substance whose possession and use are controlled by law | |
| 4. | crank - a hand tool consisting of a rotating shaft with parallel handle crank handle, starting handle - crank used to start an engine hand tool - a tool used with workers' hands | |
| Verb | 1. |  crank - travel along a zigzag path; "The river zigzags through the countryside"go, locomote, move, travel - change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically; "How fast does your new car go?"; "We travelled from Rome to Naples by bus"; "The policemen went from door to door looking for the suspect"; "The soldiers moved towards the city in an attempt to take it before night fell"; "news travelled fast" |
| 2. | crank - start by cranking; "crank up the engine" | |
| 3. | crank - rotate with a crank circumvolve, rotate - cause to turn on an axis or center; "Rotate the handle" | |
| 4. | crank - fasten with a crank | |
| 5. | crank - bend into the shape of a crank | |
| Adj. | 1. | crank - (used of boats) inclined to heel over easily under sail boat - a small vessel for travel on water unstable - lacking stability or fixity or firmness; "unstable political conditions"; "the tower proved to be unstable in the high wind"; "an unstable world economy" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
crank
noun (Informal) eccentric, freak (informal), oddball (informal), weirdo or weirdie (informal), case (informal), character (informal), nut (slang), flake (slang, chiefly U.S.), screwball (slang, chiefly U.S. & Canad.), odd fish (informal), kook (U.S. & Canad. informal), queer fish (Brit. informal), rum customer (Brit. slang), wacko or whacko (informal) People think I'm a crank because of my beliefs.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
crank
noun1. Informal. A person who habitually complains or grumbles:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
شَخْصُ شاذ الأطْوار
maneta
ztřeštěnec
særling
äkäpussikammetakampiveivataveivi
čudakčudakinja
sérvitringur
ekscentrikasekscentriškasekscentriškumaskeistumaskeistuolis
ekscentriķisīpatnissavādnieks
eksantrik birisi
crank
1 [kræŋk]crank out VT + ADV → producir penosamente
crank up VT + ADV
2. (= intensify) [+ campaign, bombing] → intensificar
crank
2 [kræŋk] N (= eccentric person) → excéntrico/a m/f (US) (= bad-tempered person) → ogro m, cascarrabias mf invCollins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
crank
[kræŋk]Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
crank
(krӕŋk) noun a person with strange or odd ideas.
ˈcranky adjectiveˈcrankiness noun
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
crank
n (fam) metanfetaminaEnglish-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.