Dictionary definition · crank
noun
- a bad-tempered person
- a whimsically eccentric person
- 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
- a hand tool consisting of a rotating shaft with parallel handle
verb
- travel along a zigzag path"The river zigzags through the countryside"
- start by cranking"crank up the engine"
- rotate with a crank
- fasten with a crank
- bend into the shape of a crank
adjective
- (used of boats) inclined to heel over easily under sail
Source: Open English WordNet (CC BY 4.0).