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crank
crank1 / krangk/ • v. [tr.] 1. turn the crankshaft of (an internal combustion engine), typically in order to start the engine. ∎ turn (a handle), typically in order to start an engine. ∎ (crank something up) inf. increase the intensity of something: he cranked up the foghorn to full volume. ∎ (crank something out) inf. produce something regularly and routinely: an army of researchers cranked out worthy studies. 2. [usu. as adj.] (cranked) give a bend to (a shaft, bar, etc.). • n. 1. a part of an axle or shaft bent out at right angles, for converting reciprocal to circular motion and vice versa. 2. inf. methamphetamine. crank2 • n. 1. an eccentric person, esp. one who is obsessed by a particular subject or theory. ∎ a bad-tempered person. 2. poetic/lit. a fanciful turn of speech. • adj. originating from or denoting a malicious or mischievous person: she was the target of a rash of crank calls. crank3 • adj. archaic Naut. (of a sailing ship) easily keeled over, esp. by wind or sea through improper design or loading. |
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Cite this article
"crank." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "crank." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-crank.html "crank." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-crank.html |
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crank
crank. A sailing ship which either by its construction, or by the stowage of its ballast or cargo, heels too far to the wind, or one which through lack of ballast or cargo cannot carry sail without the danger of overturning, is said to be crank. Ships built excessively deep in relation to their breadth were notoriously crank. Crank by the ground, a ship whose floor was so narrow that it could not be put ashore for breaming or careening without danger of overturning unless supported by legs.
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"crank." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "crank." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O225-crank.html "crank." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O225-crank.html |
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crank
crank mechanical linkage consisting of a bar attached to a pivot at one of its ends in such a way that it is capable of rotating through a complete circle about the pivot. One of the principal uses of a crank is to turn reciprocating, or back and forth, motion into rotary motion or vice versa. A bell crank is one designed to change the direction of a linear motion. |
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"crank." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "crank." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-crank.html "crank." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-crank.html |
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crank
crank 1 portion of an axle bent at right angles. OE. cranc in crancstæf weaver's implement, rel. to crinċan (rare), parallel to crinġan fall in battle, of which the primary meaning appears to have been ‘bend up, crook, curl up’, hence ‘shrink, give way, become weak’; cf. (M)HG., Du. krank sick, ill. Cf. CRINGE, CRINKLE.
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Cite this article
T. F. HOAD. "crank." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "crank." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-crank.html T. F. HOAD. "crank." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-crank.html |
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crank
crank 2 †bend, crook; fanciful turn of speech XVI; crotchet, whim; (orig. U.S., back-formation from CRANKY) eccentric or crotchety person XIX. prob. ult. identical with prec.
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Cite this article
T. F. HOAD. "crank." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "crank." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-crank1.html T. F. HOAD. "crank." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-crank1.html |
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crank
crank 3 (naut.) liable to capsize. XVII (also cranke sided). perh. to be connected with crank adj. crabbed, awkward (XVIII), infirm, shaky (XIX), and CRANK 1.
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Cite this article
T. F. HOAD. "crank." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "crank." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-crank2.html T. F. HOAD. "crank." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-crank2.html |
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crank
crank adj. archaic (of a sailing ship) easily keeled over, especially by wind or sea through improper design or loading.
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"crank." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "crank." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O63-crank.html "crank." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O63-crank.html |
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crank
crank
•ankh, bank, blank, clank, crank, dank, drank, embank, flank, franc, frank, hank, lank, outflank, outrank, Planck, plank, point-blank, prank, rank, sank, shank, shrank, spank, stank, swank, tank, thank, wank, yank
•sandbank • piggy bank • mountebank
•fog bank • mudbank • Bundesbank
•databank • riverbank • Burbank
•greenshank • sheepshank
•scrimshank • Cruikshank
•think tank • Franck • Eysenck
•bethink, blink, brink, chink, cinque, clink, dink, drink, fink, Frink, gink, ink, interlink, jink, kink, link, mink, pink, plink, prink, rink, shrink, sink, skink, slink, stink, sync, think, wink, zinc
•rinky-dink • Humperdinck • iceblink
•cufflink • bobolink • Maeterlinck
•lip-sync • countersink • doublethink
•kiddiewink
•tiddlywink (US tiddledywink)
•hoodwink
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Cite this article
"crank." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "crank." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-crank.html "crank." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-crank.html |
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