Definition of Screw

Screw

A cylinder, or a cylindrical perforation, having a continuous rib, called the thread, winding round it spirally at a constant inclination, so as to leave a continuous spiral groove between one turn and the next, -- used chiefly for producing, when revolved, motion or pressure in the direction of its axis, by the sliding of the threads of the cylinder in the grooves between the threads of the perforation adapted to it, the former being distinguished as the external, or male screw, or, more usually the screw; the latter as the internal, or female screw, or, more usually, the nut.

Specifically, a kind of nail with a spiral thread and a head with a nick to receive the end of the screw-driver. Screws are much used to hold together pieces of wood or to fasten something; -- called also wood screws, and screw nails. See also Screw bolt, below.

Anything shaped or acting like a screw; esp., a form of wheel for propelling steam vessels. It is placed at the stern, and furnished with blades having helicoidal surfaces to act against the water in the manner of a screw. See Screw propeller, below.

A steam vesel propelled by a screw instead of wheels; a screw steamer; a propeller.

An extortioner; a sharp bargainer; a skinflint; a niggard.

An instructor who examines with great or unnecessary severity; also, a searching or strict examination of a student by an instructor.

A small packet of tobacco.

An unsound or worn-out horse, useful as a hack, and commonly of good appearance.

A straight line in space with which a definite linear magnitude termed the pitch is associated (cf. 5th Pitch, 10 (b)). It is used to express the displacement of a rigid body, which may always be made to consist of a rotation about an axis combined with a translation parallel to that axis.

An amphipod crustacean; as, the skeleton screw (Caprella). See Sand screw, under Sand.

To turn, as a screw; to apply a screw to; to press, fasten, or make firm, by means of a screw or screws; as, to screw a lock on a door; to screw a press.

To force; to squeeze; to press, as by screws.

Hence: To practice extortion upon; to oppress by unreasonable or extortionate exactions.

To twist; to distort; as, to screw his visage.

To examine rigidly, as a student; to subject to a severe examination.

To use violent mans in making exactions; to be oppressive or exacting.

To turn one's self uneasily with a twisting motion; as, he screws about in his chair.

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Screw Quotations

I'm completely in favor of the separation of Church and State. My idea is that these two institutions screw us up enough on their own, so both of them together is certain death.
George Carlin

So what do we do? Anything. Something. So long as we just don't sit there. If we screw it up, start over. Try something else. If we wait until we've satisfied all the uncertainties, it may be too late.
Lee Iacocca

I'm always the last person they go to with a sequel, because I'm the most skeptical. You know, I'm very proud of what we've done, and I don't want to screw up our series.
Sigourney Weaver

If I have to apply five turns to the screw each day for the happiness of Argentina, I will do it.
Evita Peron

We were not allowed to say, Screw, but we could say, Hump the hostess, because hump is in Shakespeare.
Uta Hagen

I've probably earned the right to screw up a few times. I don't want the fear of failure to stop me from doing what I really care about.
Emma Watson

This stammer got me a home in Beverly Hills, and I'm not about to screw with it now.
Bob Newhart

Back then I said to myself 'screw football.' Actually I just took part in this camp as there was nothing better for me to do. They also didn't draft me because they thought I was too wild and undisciplined.
Ed O'Neill

I'd loved to wear jeans and t-shirts, but everybody was in the peace movement back then. And that was my ploy. I had to be careful not to say things like 'I like meat.' Actually I just wanted to drink beer and to screw.
Ed O'Neill

You can either look at things in a brutal, truthful way that's depressing, or you can screw around and have fun.
David Spade