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# screw

noun (a screw, screws); verb (screw, screws, screwed, screwing)

«screw» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A small pointed metal pin with a spiral ridge, turned with a screwdriver to hold things together. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/screw/#m1)
2. (verb) To fix something with screws, or to turn something round to fasten it: screw on the lid. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/screw/#m2)
3. (verb) To twist or squeeze into a shape: screw up your eyes, screw up the paper. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/screw/#m3)
4. Screw up (informal): to make a mess of something or make a big mistake. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/screw/#m4)
5. (slang, rude) Screwed: in deep trouble; «screw it» or «screw you» is a rude way to show anger. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/screw/#m5)
6. (verb, informal) To cheat someone out of money: we got screwed. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/screw/#m6)

### In the lessons

In science and technology lessons a screw is one of the simple machines, like a twisted ramp. In everyday life you screw lids on jars and bulbs into sockets. In real speech, «I screwed up» means I made a mistake; «we're screwed» means we are in trouble — informal and a bit rude. Phrases: screw up, screw on, a screw loose (joke: a bit mad), turn the screw.

### Examples

- Dad used four screws to fix the shelf. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/screw/#x1)
- Screw the lid on tightly. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/screw/#x2)
- She screwed up her eyes in the bright sun. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/screw/#x3)
- I screwed up the paper and threw it in the bin. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/screw/#x4)
- I totally screwed up my lines in the play. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/screw/#x5)
- (slang) If we miss the last bus, we're screwed. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/screw/#x6)
- Righty-tighty, lefty-loosey: turn the screw clockwise to tighten it. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/screw/#x7)
- Then her father took the bottle and the cork-screw into his hands. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/screw/#x8)

### Note

Screw up (informal) is fine with friends but not in formal writing; «screw you» is rude. Some uses of screw are vulgar slang; avoid them at school. A screwdriver is the tool. Most screws tighten clockwise.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «screw» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/screw/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«screw» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/screw.html) on Mova free.