screw
B2Informal to technical, depending on the sense. The fastener sense is neutral; many extended senses are informal or vulgar.
Definition
Meaning
A metal fastener with a helical ridge (thread) wrapped around a cylinder, turned to join things together.
The act of fastening or tightening with a screw; a propeller; a prison guard; a turn of a screw; something that is tight, twisted, or problematic; vulgar slang for an act of sexual intercourse.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a countable noun and a verb of action/manipulation. The vulgar slang sense is highly informal and often offensive. Can metaphorically denote pressure, coercion, or a state of disarray.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both use the fastener sense identically. 'Screw' as a prison guard is slightly more common in AmE. The idiom 'put the screws on' (to pressure) is used in both, but 'screw up' (to make a mistake) is more prevalent in AmE, though now understood in BrE.
Connotations
The vulgar slang connotation is equally strong in both varieties. In BrE, 'screw' can be a slightly old-fashioned, milder term for salary or wages (e.g., 'he's on a good screw'), which is less common in AmE.
Frequency
The fastener sense is equally frequent. The verbal phrasal verbs ('screw up', 'screw around') are likely more frequent in contemporary AmE speech.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
screw something (to/into/onto something)screw something up (ruin/mistake)screw something down (fasten)screw around (waste time/be promiscuous)be/get screwed (cheated/fooled)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “have a screw loose (be crazy)”
- “put the screws on (pressure someone)”
- “screw up one's courage”
- “tighten the screws (increase pressure)”
- “screw you! (vulgar expression of contempt)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except metaphorically: 'The new regulations put the screws on small businesses.' Avoid vulgar senses.
Academic
Limited to engineering/mechanical contexts describing the fastener or its principle.
Everyday
Very common for the fastener; common for mistakes ('I screwed up') and minor problems ('my back is screwed'). Vulgar senses are common in coarse informal speech.
Technical
Specific in mechanics and engineering: screw pitch, screw conveyor, screw jack, screw thread.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- Screw the bracket firmly to the wall.
- He's always screwing up the simplest tasks.
- The government is screwing down on expenses.
American English
- Screw the lid on tight.
- Don't screw around when you should be working.
- We got totally screwed on that deal.
adverb
British English
- (Rare as pure adverb; usually part of verb particle) 'The lid was screwed down tight.'
American English
- (Rare as pure adverb; usually part of verb particle) 'He ran screw-loose through the streets.'
adjective
British English
- It's a screw-top bottle.
- He gave me a screw-eyed look of disbelief.
American English
- Use a screw-type clamp for that.
- The plans got all screwball at the last minute.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I need a screw to fix the chair.
- Screw the lid back on the jar.
- One of the screws is loose, so the handle is wobbly.
- I think I screwed up the recipe by adding salt instead of sugar.
- The prosecutor really put the screws on the witness during cross-examination.
- They had to screw the flooring down to stop it from creaking.
- The new management has begun tightening the screws on inefficient departmental spending.
- His argument began to unravel as the interviewer subtly screwed more details out of him.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a SCREW in a piece of wood. To remember it means to tighten/twist, think: 'I SCREW it in with a SCREWdriver.' For 'screw up' (mistake), think of twisting a paper into a ball – ruining it.
Conceptual Metaphor
PRESSURE/COERCION IS TIGHTENING A SCREW (put the screws on). MENTAL INSTABILITY IS A LOOSE COMPONENT (have a screw loose). FAILURE IS TWISTING/DEFORMING (screw up). EXPLOITATION/CHEATING IS BEING FASTENED UNFAIRLY (get screwed).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'винт' (which can also mean 'propeller' or 'screw' in computing). The vulgar sense does not map directly to any single common Russian word. Translating 'screw up' as 'завернуть' is incorrect; use 'испортить' or 'облажаться'. 'Screw you!' is much stronger than 'пошёл ты!'.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect verb pattern: 'Screw it on the wall' (better: 'Screw it to the wall'). Confusing 'screw' (requires a driver) with 'bolt' (requires a nut). Using vulgar senses in inappropriate formal contexts.
Practice
Quiz
In informal American English, 'He really screwed up' most likely means:
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on the context. As a term for a metal fastener, it is neutral. However, as a verb meaning 'to have sex' or in exclamations like 'Screw you!', it is vulgar and offensive in formal or polite company.
Technically, a screw is usually fastened into a threaded hole or material (like wood), while a bolt is typically used with a nut to clamp parts together. However, in everyday language, the terms are often used interchangeably for metal fasteners.
Rarely. Even neutral uses (to fasten) are functional. Idioms like 'screw up one's courage' are slightly positive but dated. Most contemporary uses (screw up, get screwed) are negative.
It's an idiom meaning to be slightly crazy, eccentric, or not thinking correctly. It metaphorically compares the mind to a machine with a loose component.