SCREWS | English Meaning, Definition, and Pronunciation

late Middle English (as a noun): from Old French escroue ‘female screw, nut’, from Latin scrofa, literally ‘sow’, later ‘screw’. The early sense of the verb was ‘contort (the features), twist around’ (late 16th century)

a short, slender, sharp-pointed metal pin with a raised helical thread running round it and a slotted head, used to join things together by being rotated so that it pierces wood or other material and is held tightly in place.

pointed metal pin with raised thread around it

an act of turning a screw or other object having a thread.

act of turning screw or other object having thread

a prisoner's derogatory term for a warder

prisoner's derogatory term for warder

• she was frightened by the look of the screws

an act or instance of having sex.

act of sexual intercourse

an amount of salary or wages

amount of salary or wages

• he's offered me the job with a jolly good screw

a mean or miserly person.

mean or miserly person

a worn-out horse.

worn-out horse

fasten or tighten with a screw or screws

fasten or tighten with screw or screws

• screw the hinge to your new door

cheat or swindle (someone), especially by charging them too much for something

cheat someone

• the loss of advertising contracts will amount to more than the few quid that they're trying to screw us for

have sex with.

have sex with

impart spin or curl to (a ball or shot)

impart spin or curl to

• Collins had a late chance to equalize but screwed his shot wide