A cylinder of wood or metal, grooved spirally; or a cylinder with a spiral channel or thread cut in such a manner that it is equally inclined to the base of the cylinder throughout the whole length. A screw is male or female. In the male screw, the thread rises from the surface of the cylinder; in the female, the groove or channel is sunk below the surface to receive the thread of the male screw.

One of the six mechanical powers.

To turn or apply a screw to; to press, fasten or make firm by a screw; as, to screw a lock on a door; to screw a press.

To force; to squeeze; to press.

To oppress by exactions. Landlords sometimes screw and rack their tenants without mercy.

To deform by contortions; to distort. He screw’d his face into a harden’d smile. To screw out, to press out; to extort. To screw up to force; to bring by violent pressure; as, to screw up the pins of power too high. To screw in, to force in by turning or twisting.