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What (who) is crank - definition
WIKIMEDIA DISAMBIGUATION PAGE
Cranks; Crank (disambiguation); CrankS; Crank (album)
crank
(cranks, cranking, cranked)
1.
If you call someone a crank, you think their ideas or behaviour are strange. (INFORMAL)
The Prime Minister called Councillor Marshall 'a crank'...
N-COUNT [disapproval]
2.
A crank is a device that you turn in order to make something move.
N-COUNT
3.
If you crank an engine or machine, you make it move or function, especially by turning a handle.
The chauffeur got out to crank the motor.
VERB: V n
crank
crank1
¦ verb
1. turn a crankshaft or handle, especially in order to start an engine.
2. (crank something up) informal increase the intensity of something.
3. (crank something out) informal, derogatory produce something regularly and routinely.
4. give a bend to (a shaft or bar).
¦ noun a part of an axle or shaft bent out at right angles, for converting reciprocal to circular motion and vice versa.
Origin
OE cranc, related to crincan (see cringe).
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crank2
¦ noun
1. a person with eccentric or obsessive views.
N. Amer. a bad-tempered person.
2. literary a fanciful turn of speech.
Origin
back-form. from cranky; sense 2 is perh. from a base meaning 'bent together, curled up', shared by crank1.
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crank3
¦ adjective Nautical, archaic (of a sailing ship) liable to heel over.
Origin
C17: perh. from dialect crank 'weak, shaky'.
crank
(Automotive slang) Verb used to describe the performance of a
machine, especially sustained performance. "This box cranks
(or, cranks at) about 6 megaflops, with a burst mode of twice
that on vectorised operations."
[Jargon File ]
(1994-12-01)
Examples of use of crank
1. However, the mainstream rejected him as an eccentric crank.
2. It will crank up again once the celebrations are over.
3. Said the source: "They are being told to crank up the tension.
4. "Crank it up, guys," he said to the reporters huddled over their laptops.
5. The iPhone 3G‘s built–in speakers crank out noticeably louder –– but still musically unacceptable –– sound.