Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Topic: HOUSEHOLD

Date: 1400-1500
Language: Old French
Origin: escroe 'inner screw, nut', from Latin scrofa 'female pig'

screw

1 noun
     
screw
screw1 [countable]
1DHTBC a thin pointed piece of metal that you push and turn in order to fasten pieces of metal or wood together [↪ nail]:
Fix the frame in position and tighten the screws.
2
a) informal not polite an offensive word meaning an act of having sex
b)

a good screw

informal not polite a very offensive word for someone who is good at having sex
3

have a screw loose

informal to be slightly crazy
4

put/tighten the screws on somebody

informal to force someone to do something by threatening them:
The government has started to tighten the screws on illegal share dealers.
5 British English informalBO a prison officer - used especially by prisoners
Definition of screw from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English within
the topic HOUSEHOLD
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