screw

English

/skɹuː/

noun
Definitions
  • A device that has a helical function.
  • The motion of screwing something; a turn or twist to one side.
  • (slang) A prison guard.
  • (slang) An extortioner; a sharp bargainer; a skinflint.
  • (US) An instructor who examines with great or unnecessary severity; also, a searching or strict examination of a student by an instructor.
  • (vulgar) sexual Sexual intercourse; the act of screwing.
  • (vulgar) A casual sexual partner.
  • (slang) Salary, wages.
  • (billiards) Backspin.
  • (slang) A small packet of tobacco.
  • (dated) An old, worn-out, unsound and worthless horse.
  • (math) A straight line in space with which a definite linear magnitude termed the pitch is associated. 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.
  • (informal) Rheumatism.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English screw derived from Old French escroue (cylindrical socket, nut, screwhole) derived from Latin scrōfa (sow, female pig) derived from Old Dutch *scrūva derived from Latin scrōfa (sow, female pig) derived from Proto-Germanic *skrūbō (screw) derived from Proto-Indo-European *(s)keru-.

Origin

Proto-Indo-European

*(s)keru-

Gloss

Timeline

Distribution of cognates by language

Geogrpahic distribution of cognates

Cognates and derived terms