any of several types of arms or levers for imparting rotary or oscillatory motion to a rotating shaft, one end of the crank being fixed to the shaft and the other end receiving reciprocating motion from a hand, connecting rod, etc.
an ill-tempered, grouchy person.
an unbalanced person who is overzealous in the advocacy of a private cause.
an eccentric or whimsical notion.
a strikingly clever turn of speech or play on words.
a bend; turn.
the nasal decongestant propylhexedrine, used illicitly for its euphoric effects.
a crankshaft.
—v.t.
to bend into or make in the shape of a crank.
to furnish with a crank.
to rotate (a shaft) by means of a crank.
to start (an internal-combustion engine) by turning the crankshaft manually or by means of a small motor.
to start the engine of (a motor vehicle) by turning the crankshaft manually.
—v.i.
to turn a crank, as in starting an automobile engine.
to turn and twist; zigzag.
to cause to diminish or terminate: the president's efforts to crank down inflation.
to incorporate as an integral part: Overhead is cranked into the retail cost.
to make or produce in a mass-production, effortless, or mechanical way: She's able to crank out one best-selling novel after another.
The theater season is cranking up with four benefit performances.
to get started or ready:The theater season is cranking up with four benefit performances.
to stimulate, activate, or produce:to crank up enthusiasm for a new product.
to increase one's efforts, output, etc.:Industry began to crank up after the new tax incentives became law.
—adj.
unstable; shaky; unsteady.
of, pertaining to, or by an unbalanced or overzealous person: a crank phone call; crank mail.