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crank1
—crankless, adj./krangk/, n.1. Mach. 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.2. Informal. an ill-tempered, grouchy person.3. an unbalanced person who is overzealous in the advocacy of a private cause.4. an eccentric or whimsical notion.5. a strikingly clever turn of speech or play on words.6. Archaic. a bend; turn.7. Slang. the nasal decongestant propylhexedrine, used illicitly for its euphoric effects.8. Auto. Slang. a crankshaft.v.t.9. to bend into or make in the shape of a crank.10. to furnish with a crank.11. Mach. to rotate (a shaft) by means of a crank.12. to start (an internal-combustion engine) by turning the crankshaft manually or by means of a small motor.13. to start the engine of (a motor vehicle) by turning the crankshaft manually.v.i.14. to turn a crank, as in starting an automobile engine.15. Obs. to turn and twist; zigzag.16. crank down, to cause to diminish or terminate: the president's efforts to crank down inflation.17. crank in or into, to incorporate as an integral part: Overhead is cranked into the retail cost.18. crank out, to make or produce in a mass-production, effortless, or mechanical way: She's able to crank out one best-selling novel after another.19. crank up, Informal.a. to get started or ready: The theater season is cranking up with four benefit performances.b. to stimulate, activate, or produce: to crank up enthusiasm for a new product.c. to increase one's efforts, output, etc.: Industry began to crank up after the new tax incentives became law.adj.20. unstable; shaky; unsteady.21. of, pertaining to, or by an unbalanced or overzealous person: a crank phone call; crank mail.22. Brit. Dial. cranky1 (def. 5).[bef. 1000; ME cranke, OE cranc-, in crancstaef crank (see STAFF1)]crank2/krangk/, adj. Naut.n.2. a crank vessel.[1690-1700; prob. to be identified with CRANK1, but sense developement unclear; cf. CRANK-SIDED]crank3—crankly, adv. —crankness, n./krangk/, adj. Brit. Dial.lively; high-spirited.[1350-1400; ME cranke, of obscure orig.]
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In mechanics, an arm secured at right angles to a shaft with which it can rotate or oscillate.Next to the wheel, the crank is the most important motion-transmitting device, because, with the connecting rod, it provides means for converting linear to rotary motion, and vice versa. The first recognizable crank is said to have appeared in China in the 1st century AD. The carpenter's brace was invented с 1400 by a Flemish carpenter. The first mechanical connecting rods were reportedly used on a treadle-operated machine in 1430. About this time, flywheels were added to the rotating members to carry the members over the "dead" positions when the rod and the crank arm are lined up with each other.* * *
in mechanics, arm secured at right angle to a shaft with which it can rotate or oscillate. Next to the wheel, the crank is the most important motion-transmitting device, since, with the connecting rod, it provides means for converting linear to rotary motion, and vice versa.There are many conflicting claims concerning the origin of the crank, but it has been reasonably well established that the first recognizable crank appeared in China early in the 1st century AD. The first cranks had two right-angle bends and were hand-operated. The carpenter's brace, invented about AD 1400 by a Flemish carpenter, may be considered the first complete crank, since it had four right-angle bends, with the arm and wrist of the operator forming the connecting rod.The first mechanical connecting rods were used, it is said, on a treadle-operated machine in AD 1430. About this time flywheels were added to the rotating members to carry the members over the “dead” positions when the rod and the crank arm are lined up with each other (collinear).* * *
Universalium. 2010.
