crank
/kræŋk/ (bre, ipa) · /kræŋk/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈkraŋk/ (ame, mw)
crank — 名詞
- cranksingular
- cranksplural
1. a bent handle or arm on a machine that you turn to make it work, or that convert
曲柄
機器上用來轉動的彎柄
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.
Bao 轉動冰淇淋機上的曲柄，直到材料變得濃稠。
turn the crank on a machine
The mechanic replaced a cracked crank on the old printing press.
技師把那台老式印刷機上裂開的曲柄換掉了。
Otis gripped the crank and raised the theatre curtain by hand.
Otis 握住曲柄，用手把劇院的布幕升了上去。
One loose crank kept the water pump from lifting any water.
一個鬆掉的曲柄讓那台水泵完全抽不上水。
- 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,
怪人
想法離奇又難說服的人
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.
晚餐時，Ishaan 把暴風雨怪到 Wi-Fi 上，聽起來像個怪人。
sound like a crank
The town blog became unreadable after every crank posted secret tunnel theories.
每個怪人都跑去貼秘密地道理論之後，那個鎮上的部落格就變得沒法看了。
Neighbors dismissed the pamphlet as the work of a local crank.
鄰居們把那份小冊子當成某個本地怪人的作品，不當一回事。
Ignacio avoids arguing with the crank outside the station every morning.
Ignacio 每天早上都避免和車站外那個怪人爭辯。
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.
暴躁鬼
動不動就發火抱怨的人
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.
售票台前那個老暴躁鬼因為隊伍移動太慢，立刻發起脾氣。
old crank for a grumpy person
Nobody wanted to ask the crank next door about the broken fence.
沒有人想去問隔壁那個暴躁鬼圍籬壞掉的事。
Defne laughed after the crank in row six muttered about the music.
第六排那個暴躁鬼一直嘟囔音樂太吵，讓 Defne 笑了出來。
Even the cafe's regular crank softened when the baker offered free soup.
就連咖啡館裡那個固定來抱怨的暴躁鬼，在麵包師送上免費湯後也軟化了。
- 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.
冰毒
非法販賣的甲基安非他命
methamphetamine sold illegally, especially in a rough crystalline form.
Police found packets of crank hidden under the driver's seat.
警方在駕駛座底下查到幾包藏起來的冰毒。
illegal drug context: packets of crank
The clinic treated two teenagers after a weekend of using crank.
那間診所替兩名青少年治療週末吸食冰毒後的不適。
Esteban's sister begged him to stop selling crank near the bus depot.
Esteban 的姊姊求他別再在公車總站附近賣冰毒。
A cheap bag of crank ruined months of progress in rehab.
一小袋便宜的冰毒毀掉了他在戒治中心好幾個月的努力。
- 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 — 動詞
- 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.
搖動
轉動把手讓機器運作
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.
Ignacio 搖動咖啡磨豆機，直到抽屜裡裝滿新磨好的咖啡粉。
crank + object
The nurse cranked the hospital bed higher so the patient could sit up.
護士把病床往上搖動，好讓病人能坐起來。
crank + object + adverb
Tendai cranked the emergency radio for a minute before the news came on.
Tendai 搖動那台緊急收音機一分鐘，新聞才播了出來。
Astrid cranked the press slowly while the paper fed through the rollers.
Astrid 慢慢搖動印刷機，讓紙張穿過滾輪送進去。
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
發動
讓引擎開始轉動啟動
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.
Matthew 試著發動那台老拖拉機兩次後，引擎終於有反應了。
crank an engine to start it
The mechanic told Bao to crank the motor while he checked the spark plugs.
技師叫 Bao 先發動馬達，好讓他檢查火星塞。
On icy mornings, the van sometimes refuses to crank on the first try.
在結冰的早晨，那台廂型車有時第一次怎麼樣都發動不起來。
Tuan cranked the chainsaw again after it stalled beside the fence.
鏈鋸在圍籬旁熄火後，Tuan 又發動了一次。
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
蜿蜒行進
沿著彎曲路線前進
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.
那條狹窄的道路沿著灰色河流上方的懸崖蜿蜒行進。
road + crank + along
A dusty footpath cranked through olive trees behind the village school.
一條滿是灰塵的小路在村校後方的橄欖樹間蜿蜒行進。
From the hill, we watched the canal crank between warehouses and brick walls.
我們從山坡上看著運河在倉庫與磚牆之間蜿蜒前行。
The hiking trail cranked sharply left before reaching the wooden bridge.
那條健行步道猛地往左彎，才通到木橋那邊。
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 — 形容詞
- crankpositive
- crankercomparative
- crankestsuperlative
1. likely to lean or tip more than usual when wind presses against a boat's sails.
易傾的
受風時很容易側傾的
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.
風一變強，那艘小帆船沒幾分鐘就顯得很易傾。
boat + feel crank under sail
The instructor warned us that the old dinghy was crank with two adults aboard.
教練提醒我們，那艘舊小艇載著兩個大人時會很易傾。
After they stacked the gear on one side, the boat became even more crank.
他們把裝備全堆在同一側後，那艘船變得更易傾了。
New sailors often panic when a crank boat heels suddenly in rough water.
新手水手常會在易傾的船於浪裡突然側斜時慌了手腳。
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.