3 ADJ [ADJ n] A screw lid or fitting is one that has a raised spiral line on the inside or outside of it, so that it can be fixed in place by twisting. □ …an ordinary jam jar with a screw lid.
4 VERB If you screw something somewhere or if it screws somewhere, you fix it in place by twisting it round and round. □ [V n prep] Kelly screwed the silencer onto the pistol. □ [V n with adv] Screw down the lid fairly tightly. □ [V prep/adv] …several aluminium poles that screw together to give a maximum length of 10 yards.
5 VERB If you screw something such as a piece of paper into a ball, you squeeze it or twist it tightly so that it is in the shape of a ball. [BRIT ] □ [V n + into ] He screwed the paper into a ball and tossed it into the fire. in AM, use crush 6 VERB If you screw your face or your eyes into a particular expression, you tighten the muscles of your face to form that expression, for example because you are in pain or because the light is too bright. □ [V n + into ] He screwed his face into an expression of mock pain.
7 VERB If someone screws someone else or if two people screw , they have sex together. [RUDE ]
8 VERB Some people use screw in expressions such as screw you or screw that to show that they are not concerned about someone or something or that they feel contempt for them. [RUDE , FEELINGS ]
9 VERB [usu passive] If someone says that they have been screwed , they mean that someone else has cheated them, especially by getting money from them dishonestly. [INFORMAL , RUDE ] □ [be V -ed] They haven't given us accurate information. We've been screwed.
10 VERB If someone screws something, especially money, out of you, they get it from you by putting pressure on you. [mainly BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ [V n + out of ] For decades rich nations have been screwing money out of poor nations.
11 PHRASE If you turn or tighten the screw on someone, you increase the pressure which is already on them, for example by using threats, in order to force them to do a particular thing. □ Parisian taxi drivers are threatening to mount a blockade to turn the screw on the government.
▸ screw up
1 PHRASAL VERB If you screw up your eyes or your face, you tighten your eye or face muscles, for example because you are in pain or because the light is too bright. □ [V P n] She had screwed up her eyes, as if she found the sunshine too bright. □ [V n P ] Close your eyes and screw them up tight. □ [V P ] His face screwed up in agony.
2 PHRASAL VERB If you screw up a piece of paper, you squeeze it tightly so that it becomes very creased and no longer flat, usually when you are throwing it away. [BRIT ] □ [V n P ] He would start writing to his family and would screw the letter up in frustration. □ [V P n] He screwed up his first three efforts after only a line or two. in AM, use crush 3 PHRASAL VERB To screw something up , or to screw up , means to cause something to fail or be spoiled. [INFORMAL ] □ [V P n] You can't open the window because it screws up the air conditioning. □ [V n P ] Get out. Haven't you screwed things up enough already! □ [V P ] Somebody had screwed up; they weren't there.
screw|ball /skruː bɔːl/ (screwballs )
1 ADJ [ADJ n] Screwball comedy is silly and eccentric in an amusing and harmless way. [INFORMAL ] □ …a remake of a '50s classic screwball comedy.
2 N‑COUNT If you say that someone is a screwball , you mean that they do strange or crazy things. [INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ]
screw|driver /skruː dra I və r / (screwdrivers ) N‑COUNT A screwdriver is a tool that is used for turning screws. It consists of a metal rod with a flat or cross-shaped end that fits into the top of the screw.
scre wed u p ADJ If you say that someone is screwed up , you mean that they are very confused or worried, or that they have psychological problems. [INFORMAL ] □ He was really screwed up with his emotional problems.
scre w-top ADJ [ADJ n] A screw-top bottle or jar has a lid that is secured by being twisted on.
scrib|ble /skr I b ə l/ (scribbles , scribbling , scribbled )
1 VERB If you scribble something, you write it quickly and roughly. □ [V n] She scribbled a note to tell Mum she'd gone out. □ [V prep/adv] As I scribbled in my diary the light went out.
2 VERB To scribble means to make meaningless marks or rough drawings using a pencil or pen. □ [V prep/adv] When Caroline was five she scribbled on a wall. [Also V ]
3 N‑VAR Scribble is something that has been written or drawn quickly and roughly. □ I'm sorry what I wrote was such a scribble.
▸ scribble down PHRASAL VERB If you scribble down something, you write it quickly or roughly. □ [V P n] I attempted to scribble down the names. □ [V n P ] He took my name and address, scribbling it down in his notebook.
scrib|bler /skr I bələ r / (scribblers ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] People sometimes refer to writers as scribblers when they think they are not very good writers. [mainly JOURNALISM , DISAPPROVAL ]
scribe /skra I b/ (scribes ) N‑COUNT In the days before printing was common, a scribe was a person who wrote copies of things such as letters or documents.
scrimp /skr I mp/ (scrimps , scrimping , scrimped ) VERB If you scrimp on things, you live cheaply and spend as little money as possible. □ [V + on ] Scrimping on safety measures can be a false economy.