crank

/kræɳk/

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The word "crank" can be used as a noun, verb, or adjective, and it has several meanings depending on the context. Let's break it down for better understanding:

As a Noun:

1. A Tool: A crank is a hand tool that has a rotating shaft with a handle. It is often used to turn something, like starting an old engine or moving machinery.

   • Example: "He used a crank to start the old car."

2. A Type of Person: A crank can also refer to a person who is quirky, eccentric, or has unusual ideas. Sometimes, it can mean someone who is bad-tempered or irritable.

   • Example: "She is a bit of a crank because she always has odd theories about the world."

3. Drugs: "Crank" is also a slang term for a type of drug that is an amphetamine, known for being a stimulant. This use is more common in discussions about drug use.

   • Example: "He got into trouble because of his addiction to crank."

As a Verb:

1. To Rotate: To crank something means to turn it using a crank tool, like starting an engine or moving a lever.

   • Example: "You need to crank the handle to lift the gate."

2. To Bend: It can also mean to bend something into a shape that resembles a crank.

   • Example: "He cranked the metal pipe to fit it into place."

3. To Increase: The phrase "crank up" means to increase the intensity or level of something, like turning up the volume on a radio.

   • Example: "Let's crank up the music for the party!"

As an Adjective:

1. Used in Sailing: When describing boats, "crank" can mean that a boat is inclined to heel over easily when it is under sail.
   • Example: "This crank sailboat tips over quickly in strong winds."

Advanced Usage:

• Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:
  • "Crank out" means to produce something quickly or in large quantities.
  • "Crank up" can also refer to increasing energy or effort in a situation.

Synonyms:

• For the tool meaning: handle, lever
• For the eccentric person meaning: oddball, weirdo
• For the bad-tempered person meaning: grouch, grump
• For the verb meaning to turn: rotate, twist

Different Meanings:

The word "crank" has diverse uses, so it is important to understand the context in which it is being used to grasp the correct meaning.

Summary:

In summary, "crank" can refer to a tool, a person with unusual ideas, a type of drug, or an action of turning or increasing something.

Academic

Adjective

1. (used of boats) inclined to heel over easily under sail

Noun

1. a hand tool consisting of a rotating shaft with parallel handle
2. 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
3. a whimsically eccentric person
4. a bad-tempered person

Verb

1. bend into the shape of a crank
2. fasten with a crank
3. rotate with a crank
4. start by cranking
   • crank up the engine
5. travel along a zigzag path
   • The river zigzags through the countryside

Synonyms

• cranky
• tender
• tippy
• starter
• crackpot
• nut
• nut case
• fruitcake
• screwball
• grouch
• grump
• churl
• crosspatch
• crank up
• zigzag