Word of the Day: Screw
The word “screw” is used to describe the movement of turning something so that it fits into a hole of some kind.
- You screw a light bulb into a lamp socket.
- You screw in the light bulb, and when you want to take it out you unscrew it.
A screw is also a piece of hardware that is used for putting thing together. Screws are found on cars, in houses, in furniture, inside computers, and in many, many other places.
The word “screw” can be a noun or a verb:
- He screwed a screw into a piece of wood.
- He unscrewed the screw.
There are some other meanings for the word “screw” that are commonly found in American slang:
- I got screwed by that company. (They did something that caused a financial loss.)
- Try not to screw up. (Try not to make a mistake.)
- Don’t screw with that! (Don’t touch that. Leave it alone.)
- Don’t take him seriously. He’s just screwing with you. (He’s playing around or he’s intentionally making something difficult for you.)
- Screw you! (I’m very angry with you.)
- She’s screwing her boss. (She’s having a sexual relationship with her boss.)
- A delayed flight screwed up their entire vacation. (The schedule was changed and that caused problems.)
- He’s got a screw loose. (He’s crazy.)
Note: Be careful with the word “screw.” If you use it the wrong way or in the wrong setting, it can be considered a vulgar choice of words.
Essential English Dictionary
Visit the Popular English Words Beginning with S page to see the list of all words starting with letter S. For seeing the HiCafe dictionary, visit the Popular English Words with Meaning page.