DICT.TW Dictionary Taiwan
Screw v. t. [imp. & p. p. Screwed p. pr. & vb. n. Screwing.]
1. To turn, as a screw; to apply a screw to; to press, fasten, or make firm, by means of a screw or screws; as, to screw a lock on a door; to screw a press.
2. To force; to squeeze; to press, as by screws.
But screw your courage to the sticking place,
And we'll not fail. --Shak.
3. Hence: To practice extortion upon; to oppress by unreasonable or extortionate exactions.
Our country landlords, by unmeasurable screwing and racking their tenants, have already reduced the miserable people to a worse condition than the peasants in France. --swift.
4. To twist; to distort; as, to screw his visage.
He screwed his face into a hardened smile. --Dryden.
5. To examine rigidly, as a student; to subject to a severe examination. [Cant, American Colleges]
To screw out, to press out; to extort.
To screw up, (a) to force; to bring by violent pressure. --Howell. (b) to damage by unskillful effort; to bungle; to botch; to mess up; as, he screwed up the contract negotiations, and we lost the deal. (c) [intrans.] to fail by unskillful effort, usually causing unpleasant consequences.
To screw in, to force in by turning or twisting. Screw around, (a) to act aimlessly or unproductively. (b) to commit adultery; to be sexually promiscuous.
Screw around with, to operate or make changes on (a machine or device) without expert knowledge; to fiddle with. [Colloq.] . -->