# crank

/ˈkɹæŋk/ (US) · /kɹˈæŋk/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/crank
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. mechanical handle

noun · CEFR B2

a handle or arm that you turn to make a wheel or machine move.

For teachers: a part of an axle or shaft bent at right angles, used to convert reciprocal motion into circular motion or vice versa.

- He turned the iron crank on the side of the well to bring up the bucket of water.
- The vintage engine required a manual crank to initiate the combustion cycle, a task that demanded significant physical exertion from the operator.

### 2. an eccentric person

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal

a person who has very strange ideas or who is obsessed with one particular subject.

For teachers: an eccentric person, especially one who persistently promotes unconventional or flawed theories in technical or scientific fields.

- The local crank spent all his time writing letters to the newspaper about aliens.
- The professor dismissed the letter as the work of a crank, noting that the mathematical proofs provided violated the fundamental laws of thermodynamics.

### 3. methamphetamine

noun · CEFR C2 · American English · Slang

a slang name for a powerful and illegal drug.

For teachers: a slang term for methamphetamine, particularly in its powdered form.

- The police arrested the man for possession of crank and other illegal substances.
- Undercover agents focused their investigation on the distribution of crank within the rural community, identifying several key manufacturing sites.

### 4. to turn a handle

verb · CEFR B2

to turn a handle or a part of a machine to make it work.

For teachers: to rotate a shaft or engine by means of a crank, often to initiate operation.

- You have to crank the handle several times before the old gramophone starts playing.
- Ground crew members had to manually crank the propeller to start the aircraft's engine in the freezing morning air.

### 5. to operate at high intensity

verb · CEFR C1 · Informal

to work or run at a very high level of effort or speed.

For teachers: to function or produce output at a high level of intensity or speed; often used with 'up'.

- By mid-afternoon, the factory was really cranking and orders were flying out the door.
- Once the marketing campaign launched, the production department began cranking to meet the sudden surge in consumer demand.

### 6. unstable ship

adjective · CEFR C2 · Technical

describing a ship that is likely to tip over because it is not balanced well.

For teachers: liable to capsize or roll excessively due to a high centre of gravity or insufficient ballast.

- The sailors were worried because the ship felt crank after they loaded the heavy cargo on deck.
- The vessel proved dangerously crank during the storm, as the lack of bottom ballast made it nearly impossible to maintain a steady course against the gale.

## Examples

- He is a bit of a crank when it comes to his theories.
- The editor receives dozens of letters from every local crank who believes they have discovered a secret code in the newspaper.
- While history occasionally vindicates the outsider, most scientific institutions must filter out the constant stream of manifestos sent by every self-taught crank claiming to have debunked the laws of thermodynamics.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.