crank

I

[[t]kræŋk[/t]]

n.

1) mac any of several types of arms or levers for imparting rotary or oscillatory motion to a rotating shaft

2) inf Informal. an ill-tempered person

3) an unbalanced person who is overzealous in the advocacy of a private cause

4) a whimsical notion; conceit

5) a strikingly clever turn of speech or play on words

6) archaic a bend; turn

7) pha methamphetamine prepared for illicit use

8) aum a crankshaft

9) mac to rotate (a shaft) by means of a crank

10) aum to start (an internal-combustion engine), esp. by turning the crankshaft manually

11) to shape like a crank

12) to furnish with a crank

13) aum to turn a crank, as in starting an automobile engine

14) Obs. to turn and twist; zigzag

15) phv crank out, to produce in a mass-production or mechanical way

16) phv crank up

a) to get started

b) to stimulate or produce:

to crank up enthusiasm[/ex]

17) of, pertaining to, or by an unbalanced or overzealous person:

a crank phone call[/ex]

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Etymology: bef. 1000; ME cranke, OE cranc-, in crancstǣf crank (see staff I) II

crank

[[t]kræŋk[/t]] also cranky II adj.

naut. navig. tending to roll easily, as a boat; tender

(opposed to stiff ).

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Etymology: 1690–1700; prob. same as crank I