crank

1. 1.

   travel along a zigzag path

   “The river zigzags through the countryside”

   Synonymszigzag

   Broadertravel
2. 2.

   start by cranking

   “crank up the engine”

   Synonymscrank up

   Broaderstart
3. 3.

   rotate with a crank

   Synonymscrank up

   Broaderrotate
4. 4.

   fasten with a crank

   Broaderfasten
5. 5.

   bend into the shape of a crank

   Broaderflex

1. 1.

   a bad-tempered person

   Synonymsgrouchgrumpchurlcrosspatch

   Broaderunpleasant person

   Narrowercrabfire-eatermisanthrope
2. 2.

   a whimsically eccentric person

   Synonymscrackpotnutnut casefruitcakescrewball

   Broadereccentric
3. 3.

   an amphetamine derivative (trade name Methedrine) used in the form of a crystalline hydrochloride; used as a stimulant to the nervous system and as an appetite suppressant

   Synonymsmethamphetaminemethamphetamine hydrochlorideMethedrinemethdeoxyephedrinechalkchicken feedglassiceshabutrash

   Broaderamphetaminecontrolled substance
4. 4.

   a hand tool consisting of a rotating shaft with parallel handle

   Synonymsstarter

   Broaderhand tool

   Narrowercrank handle

1. 1.

   (used of boats) inclined to heel over easily under sail

   Synonymscrankytendertippy

   Similarunstable

   boat

Other forms of crank

plural

cranks·

past tense

cranked·

present participle

cranking·

Forms marked · are formed by the regular rule rather than recorded in the source data. English keeps a few hundred irregulars and the rest follow the pattern, so the rule is right far more often than not — but it is a rule, and the mark says so.

Questions about crank

What does crank mean?

crank means "travel along a zigzag path". That is the primary sense; the word has 10 in total, listed in full on this page.

How many syllables are in crank?

crank has 1 syllable: crank. In IPA it is /ˈkɹæŋk/.

What is another word for crank?

Close synonyms include zigzag, crank up, crank up, grouch, grump. Each sense on this page lists its own synonyms, because a word with several meanings rarely has one substitute that works for all of them.

Is crank a common word?

crank is banded "Familiar" — widely understood, used when the subject calls for it. The band comes from how often the word appears in a large corpus of everyday English, not from an editor's impression.