a metal fastener having a tapered shank with a helical thread, and topped with a slotted head, driven into wood or the like by rotating, esp. by means of a screwdriver.

a threaded cylindrical pin or rod with a head at one end, engaging a threaded hole and used either as a fastener or as a simple machine for applying power, as in a clamp, jack, etc. Compare bolt 1 ( def. 3 ) .

British . a tapped or threaded hole.

something having a spiral form.

screw propeller.

Usually, screws. physical or mental coercion

The terrified debtor soon felt the gangster's screws.

a single turn of a screw.

a twist, turn, or twisting movement.

Chiefly British .

a little salt, sugar, tobacco, etc., carried in a twist of paper.

Slang . a mean, old, or worn-out horse; a horse from which one can obtain no further service.

Slang . a friend or employer from whom one can obtain no more money.

Slang . a miser.

British Informal . salary; wages.

Slang . a prison guard.

Slang

Vulgar

an act of coitus.

a person viewed as a sexual partner.

to fasten, tighten, force, press, stretch tight, etc., by or as if by means of a screw or device operated by a screw or helical threads.

to operate or adjust by a screw, as a press.

to attach with a screw or screws

to screw a bracket to a wall.

to insert, fasten, undo, or work (a screw, bolt, nut, bottle top with a helical thread, etc.) by turning.

to contort as by twisting; distort

Father screwed his face into a grimace of disgust.

to cause to become sufficiently strong or intense (usually fol. by up )

I screwed up my courage to ask for a raise.

to coerce or threaten.

to extract or extort.

to force (a seller) to lower a price (often fol. by down ).

Slang . to cheat or take advantage of (someone).

Slang

Vulgar to have coitus with.

to turn as or like a screw.

to be adapted for being connected, taken apart, opened, or closed by means of a screw or screws or parts with helical threads (usually fol. by on, together, or off )

This top screws on easily.

to turn or move with a twisting or rotating motion.

to practice extortion.

Slang

Vulgar to have coitus.

screw around, Slang .

to waste time in foolish or frivolous activity

If you'd stop screwing around we could get this job done.

Vulgar . to engage in promiscuous sex.

screw off, Slang .

to do nothing; loaf.

to leave; go away.

screw up, Slang .

to ruin through bungling or stupidity

Somehow the engineers screwed up the entire construction project.

to make a botch of something; blunder.

to make confused, anxious, or neurotic. ?

have a screw loose

Slang . to be eccentric or neurotic; have crazy ideas

You must have a screw loose to keep so many cats.

put the screws on

to compel by exerting pressure on; use coercion on; force

They kept putting the screws on him for more money.

verb

unscrew , untwist , help

verb

spiral , tighten , turn , twine , wind , work , contract , crimp , crinkle , crumple , distort , pucker , rimple , ruck up , rumple , scrunch , wrinkle , bilk , bleed , cheat , chisel , coerce , constrain , defraud , do * , exact , extort , extract , force , hold a knife to , oppress , pinch * , pressurize , put screws to , ream , shake down * , squeeze , wrench , wrest , wring , bolt , clamp , fasten , rack , rivet , thread , twist