screw
[verb]
Synonyms:
- turn, tighten, twist
- often with out of: extort, extract, wrest, wring

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. screw¹ S3 /skruː/ noun [countable]
[Date: 1400-1500; Language: Old French; Origin: escroe 'inner screw, nut', from Latin scrofa 'female pig']

1. a thin pointed piece of metal that you push and turn in order to fasten pieces of metal or wood together ⇒ nail:
Fix the frame in position and tighten the screws.

2. informal not polite
a) an offensive word meaning an act of having sex
b) a good screw a very offensive word for someone who is good at having sex

3. have a screw loose informal to be slightly crazy

4. put/tighten the screws on somebody informal to force someone to do something by threatening them:
The government has started to tighten the screws on illegal share dealers.

5. British English informal a prison officer – used especially by prisoners

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. screw² verb

1. ATTACH [transitive always + adverb/preposition] to attach one thing to another using a screw ⇒ nail
screw something into/onto/to something
The chairs were screwed to the floor.
The wooden frame should be screwed onto the wall.

2. CLOSE BY TURNING [intransitive, transitive always + adverb/preposition] to fasten or close something by turning it, or to be fastened in this way Antonym : unscrew
screw (something) on/onto something
The lens screws onto the front of the camera.
She carefully screwed the cap back onto the toothpaste.

3. PAPER/CLOTH [transitive always + adverb/preposition] (also screw up) to twist paper or cloth into a small round shape:
She screwed the letter up and threw it in the bin.
screw something (up) into something
I screwed my handkerchief into a ball.

4. SEX [intransitive and transitive] informal not polite an offensive word meaning to have sex with someone

5. screw you/him etc spoken not polite an offensive expression used to show that you are very angry with someone

6. CHEAT [transitive] not polite to cheat someone in order to get money from them
screw somebody for something
They screwed us for $60 in the end.
⇒ have your head screwed on (straight) at head¹(3c)
screw around phrasal verb

1. informal to do silly things that may cause trouble Synonym : mess around:
The kids were screwing around down by the bus station.

2. not polite an offensive expression meaning to have sex with a lot of different people
screw up phrasal verb

1. informal to make a bad mistake or do something very stupid Synonym : mess up:
You’d better not screw up this time.

2. screw something ↔ up informal to spoil something by doing something stupid Synonym : mess something up:
She realized that she had screwed up her life.

3. screw up your eyes/face to move the muscles in your face in a way that makes your eyes seem narrow:
He screwed up his eyes against the bright light.
Her face was screwed up with pain.

4. screw somebody ↔ up informal to make someone feel very unhappy, confused, or upset so that they have emotional problems for a long time Synonym : mess somebody up:
It really screwed her up when her mother died. ⇒ screwed up

5. screw up the/enough courage to do something (also screw up your courage to do something) to be brave enough to do something you are very nervous about:
I finally screwed up enough courage to talk to her.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

screw
noun
ADJ. masonry, wood
VERB + SCREW fix, loosen, tighten, turn

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

screw
verb
ADV. firmly, tightly | down, together Screw the drain cover down tightly.
PREP. into She screwed the lock into the door.
on/onto I screwed the lid back on the jar.
to The bed was screwed to the floor.
PHRASES screw sth in place/into position I screwed the curtain rail in place.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

screw
skru:
See: have a screw loose , put on the screws

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲