crank
/kræŋk/ (bre, ipa) · /kræŋk/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈkraŋk/ (ame, mw)
crank — noun
- cranksingular
- cranksplural
1. a bent handle or arm on a machine that you turn to make it work, or that convert
a bent handle or arm on a machine that you turn to make it work, or that converts back-and-forth force into turning motion.
Bao turned the crank on the ice-cream machine until the mixture thickened.
turn the crank on a machine
The mechanic replaced a cracked crank on the old printing press.
Otis gripped the crank and raised the theatre curtain by hand.
One loose crank kept the water pump from lifting any water.
- handle
broader and less technical; not every handle changes movement
- lever
usually pushes or lifts rather than turning in a full circle
- crank handle
more explicit, especially when the turning part is separate and easy to grip
文法句型
turn the crank
crank on + machine
用法筆記
Often refers to the part you turn by hand on older or simpler machines. In technical use, it can also mean the bent arm that changes a back-and-forth push into a rotating movement.
2. a person whose opinions or plans strike other people as extreme, old-fashioned,
a person whose opinions or plans strike other people as extreme, old-fashioned, or wildly unrealistic.
At dinner, Ishaan sounded like a crank when he blamed Wi-Fi for the storm.
sound like a crank
The town blog became unreadable after every crank posted secret tunnel theories.
Neighbors dismissed the pamphlet as the work of a local crank.
Ignacio avoids arguing with the crank outside the station every morning.
文法句型
a crank
sound like a crank
用法筆記
Usually sounds negative and dismissive. It suggests fixed ideas that other people see as unreasonable, not just harmless unusual habits.
常見錯誤
3. a person who complains constantly and loses patience over very small things.
a person who complains constantly and loses patience over very small things.
The old crank at the ticket desk snapped because the queue moved slowly.
old crank for a grumpy person
Nobody wanted to ask the crank next door about the broken fence.
Defne laughed after the crank in row six muttered about the music.
Even the cafe's regular crank softened when the baker offered free soup.
- grouch
very close in meaning, with a slightly more everyday tone
- grump
informal and often a little lighter or more playful
- curmudgeon
more formal and often used for an older bad-tempered person
文法句型
an old crank
the crank next door
用法筆記
Often appears with words such as old, local, or regular before it. This sense focuses on mood and behaviour, unlike noun sense 1, which is about strange beliefs.
4. methamphetamine sold illegally, especially in a rough crystalline form.
methamphetamine sold illegally, especially in a rough crystalline form.
Police found packets of crank hidden under the driver's seat.
illegal drug context: packets of crank
The clinic treated two teenagers after a weekend of using crank.
Esteban's sister begged him to stop selling crank near the bus depot.
A cheap bag of crank ruined months of progress in rehab.
- meth
the most common short form in everyday speech
- crystal meth
more explicit and often used when the drug is in crystal form
- speed
broader slang that can refer to other stimulant drugs as well
文法句型
use crank
sell crank
用法筆記
This is a slang term used in drug contexts. In formal medical or legal writing, methamphetamine is the usual term instead.
crank — verb
- crankpresent simple I / you / we / they
- cranks3rd person singular
- cranking-ing form
- crankedpast simple
1. to make a machine work by turning its handle or shaft repeatedly with your hand.
to make a machine work by turning its handle or shaft repeatedly with your hand.
Ignacio cranked the coffee grinder until fresh grounds filled the drawer.
crank + object
The nurse cranked the hospital bed higher so the patient could sit up.
crank + object + adverb
Tendai cranked the emergency radio for a minute before the news came on.
Astrid cranked the press slowly while the paper fed through the rollers.
文法句型
crank + object
crank + object + adverb
用法筆記
The object is usually a machine or a part such as a handle, bed, press, or radio. This sense is about making the equipment move, not specifically about starting an engine.
2. to make an engine or machine begin turning in order to start it, or for it to be
to make an engine or machine begin turning in order to start it, or for it to begin turning that way.
Matthew cranked the old tractor twice before the engine finally caught.
crank an engine to start it
The mechanic told Bao to crank the motor while he checked the spark plugs.
On icy mornings, the van sometimes refuses to crank on the first try.
Tuan cranked the chainsaw again after it stalled beside the fence.
文法句型
crank + engine/motor/machine
engine/machine + cranks
用法筆記
Common in mechanical talk, especially about engines and motors. Unlike verb sense 1, the point here is getting the engine to start, and the intransitive pattern is often used when describing whether it will turn over at all.
常見錯誤
3. to go forward in a twisting line with repeated bends instead of a straight cours
to go forward in a twisting line with repeated bends instead of a straight course.
The narrow road cranked along the cliff above the grey river.
road + crank + along
A dusty footpath cranked through olive trees behind the village school.
From the hill, we watched the canal crank between warehouses and brick walls.
The hiking trail cranked sharply left before reaching the wooden bridge.
文法句型
road/path/canal + crank + adverb/preposition
用法筆記
Usually used of roads, paths, streams, or similar long lines that bend again and again. It is much rarer than words such as wind or zigzag.
crank — adjective
- crankpositive
- crankercomparative
- crankestsuperlative
1. likely to lean or tip more than usual when wind presses against a boat's sails.
likely to lean or tip more than usual when wind presses against a boat's sails.
In strong wind, the little sailboat felt crank within a few minutes.
boat + feel crank under sail
The instructor warned us that the old dinghy was crank with two adults aboard.
After they stacked the gear on one side, the boat became even more crank.
New sailors often panic when a crank boat heels suddenly in rough water.
文法句型
boat + be + crank
crank under sail
用法筆記
Mainly used in sailing contexts. It describes a boat that feels unstable under sail, not a person with a bad temper or unusual beliefs.