crank 1
— crankless , adj.
/krangk/ , n.
1. Mach. any of several types of arms or levers for imparting rotary or oscillatory motion to a rotating shaft, one end of the crank being fixed to the shaft and the other end receiving reciprocating motion from a hand, connecting rod, etc.
2. Informal. an ill-tempered, grouchy person.
3. an unbalanced person who is overzealous in the advocacy of a private cause.
4. an eccentric or whimsical notion.
5. a strikingly clever turn of speech or play on words.
6. Archaic. a bend; turn.
7. Slang. the nasal decongestant propylhexedrine, used illicitly for its euphoric effects.
8. Auto. Slang. a crankshaft.
v.t.
9. to bend into or make in the shape of a crank.
10. to furnish with a crank.
11. Mach. to rotate (a shaft) by means of a crank.
12. to start (an internal-combustion engine) by turning the crankshaft manually or by means of a small motor.
13. to start the engine of (a motor vehicle) by turning the crankshaft manually.
v.i.
14. to turn a crank, as in starting an automobile engine.
15. Obs. to turn and twist; zigzag.
16. crank down , to cause to diminish or terminate: the president's efforts to crank down inflation.
17. crank in or into , to incorporate as an integral part: Overhead is cranked into the retail cost.
18. crank out , to make or produce in a mass-production, effortless, or mechanical way: She's able to crank out one best-selling novel after another.
19. crank up , Informal.
a. to get started or ready: The theater season is cranking up with four benefit performances.
b. to stimulate, activate, or produce: to crank up enthusiasm for a new product.
c. to increase one's efforts, output, etc.: Industry began to crank up after the new tax incentives became law.
adj.
20. unstable; shaky; unsteady.
21. of, pertaining to, or by an unbalanced or overzealous person: a crank phone call; crank mail.
22. Brit. Dial. cranky 1 (def. 5).
[ bef. 1000; ME cranke, OE cranc-, in crancstaef crank (see STAFF 1 ) ]
crank 2
/krangk/ , adj. Naut.
1. Also, cranky . having a tendency to roll easily, as a boat or ship; tender (opposed to stiff ).
n.
2. a crank vessel.
[ 1690-1700; prob. to be identified with CRANK 1 , but sense developement unclear; cf. CRANK-SIDED ]
crank 3
— crankly , adv. — crankness , n.
/krangk/ , adj. Brit. Dial.
lively; high-spirited.
[ 1350-1400; ME cranke, of obscure orig. ]