|
(skr), n.[OE. scrue, OF. escroue, escroe, female screw, F. crou, L. scrobis a ditch, trench, in LL., the hole made by swine in rooting; cf. D. schroef a screw, G. schraube, Icel. skrfa.] 1. A cylinder, or a cylindrical perforation, having a continuous rib, called the thread, winding round it spirally at a constant inclination, so as to leave a continuous spiral groove between one turn and the next, -- used chiefly for producing, when revolved, motion or pressure in the direction of its axis, by the sliding of the threads of the cylinder in the grooves between the threads of the perforation adapted to it, the former being distinguished as the external, or male screw, or, more usually the screw; the latter as the internal, or female screw, or, more usually, the nut. The screw, as a mechanical power, is a modification of the inclined plane, and may be regarded as a right-angled triangle wrapped round a cylinder, the hypotenuse of the marking the spiral thread of the screw, its base equaling t Screw (), v. t.[imp. & p. p.Screwed (); p. pr. & vb. n.Screwing.] 1. To turn, as a screw; to apply a screw to; to press, fasten, or make firm, by means of a screw or screws; as, to screw a lock on a door; to screw a press. 2. To force; to squeeze; to press, as by screws. But screw your courage to the sticking place, And we'll not fail. Shak. 3. Hence: To practice extortion upon; to oppress by unreasonable or extortionate exactions. Our country landlords, by unmeasurable screwing and racking their tenants, have already reduced the miserable people to a worse condition than the peasants in France. swift. 4. To twist; to distort; as, to screw his visage. He screwed his face into a hardened smile. Dryden. 5. To examine rigidly, as a student; to subject to a severe examination. [Cant, American Colleges] To screw out, to press out; to extort. To screw up, to force; to bring by violent pressure. Howell. To screw in, to force in by turning or twisting. Screw v. i. 1. To use violent mans in making exactions; to be oppressive or exacting. Howitt. 2. To turn one's self uneasily with a twisting motion; as, he screws about in his chair. スポンサード リンク
|