crank
gb/kɹˈæŋk/ us/kɹˈæŋk/
B2
English
~ 8300
hóbortos, bogaras alak, csodabogár, teker, kurbliz, kurbli, forgattyú, forgatókar, ont magából, futószalagon gyárt, felpörget, felteker, fokoz, metamfetamin, kristálymet, hajtókar, pedálkar
NOUN
B2
INFORMAL
1
Usage pattern:
to call [someone] a crank
Some people wrote him off as a crank, but others took his warnings very seriously.
Egyesek elintézték annyival, hogy hóbortos, mások viszont nagyon komolyan vették a figyelmeztetéseit.
Online forums can give a loud voice to climate-change cranks.
Az online fórumok nagy nyilvánosságot adhatnak a klímatagadó hóbortosoknak.
Her relatives think she is a harmless crank with too many strange health theories.
The senator dismissed his critics as a small group of cranks and conspiracy theorists.
Learner examples
Many people think he is a crank because he believes every conspiracy theory.
Sokan hóbortosnak tartják, mert minden összeesküvés-elméletben hisz.
The newspaper called the man a crank after he sent many strange letters.
Az újság hóbortosnak nevezte a férfit, miután sok furcsa levelet küldött.
Her family says she is a bit of a crank, but she is kind and friendly.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "crank" with "cranky". "Crank" (noun) is a person with strange or extreme ideas. "Cranky" (adjective) usually means irritable or in a bad mood, not strange in beliefs.
Meaning
eccentric person with odd beliefs
Collocations
political crank
|conspiracy crank
|health-food crank
|a bit of a crank
|harmless crank
|cranks and extremists
Synonyms
eccentric (Suggests someone who is odd or unusual, but can sound more neutral or even positive than 'crank', which is often negative or dismissive.)
Antonyms
mainstream (Describes people or opinions that fit normal, widely accepted views, the opposite of the unusual or extreme views held by a crank.)
Themes
people
|character
|opinions
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A person who seems very strange because they strongly believe things that most people think are crazy or not true.
A person considered strange, unreasonable, or obsessive because of very unusual, extreme, or fixed ideas, especially about politics, health, or other public issues.
VERB
B2
2
Usage pattern:
to crank [something]
You have to crank the handle a few times before the old engine will start.
Néhányszor meg kell tekerni a kart, mielőtt a régi motor beindul.
They cranked the generator until the lights finally came on.
Addig tekerték a generátort, amíg végül fel nem gyulladtak a lámpák.
She cranked the car window down to talk to the guard.
In the museum, visitors can crank a small wheel to power the display.
Learner examples
He cranked the handle to open the well.
Megtekerte a kart, hogy felhúzza a vizet a kútból.
You must crank the old car to start it.
A régi autót kurblival kell beindítani.
The boy cranked the window down to get some fresh air.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say "open the engine" or "start the engine by hand" instead of "crank the engine" when talking about older cars or machines with a handle.
Meaning
turn a handle to operate
Collocations
crank the engine
|crank the handle
|crank the window
|crank the starter
|crank the generator
|crank the jack
Synonyms
turn (A more general word for rotating something; "crank" implies using a handle or similar part to operate a mechanism.)
Antonyms
stop (If you stop a machine, you no longer crank or operate it.)
Themes
technology
|daily_life
|tools
|work
Definition
To turn a handle or bar again and again to make a machine work or start.
To turn a handle, lever, or similar part in order to operate or start a machine, especially older engines or simple devices.
NOUN
B2
TECHNICAL
3
Usage pattern:
to turn the crank on [something]
The music box still works if you turn the crank slowly.
A zenedoboz még működik, ha lassan tekered a kurblit.
He grabbed the crank on the jack and started lifting the car.
Megfogta az autóemelő kurbliját, és elkezdte felemelni az autót.
The old movie camera has a side crank for advancing the film.
A long metal crank sticks out from the front of the machine.
Learner examples
You must turn the crank to make the toy move.
Meg kell tekerned a kurblit, hogy a játék mozogni kezdjen.
This coffee grinder has a small crank on top.
Ennek a kávédarálónak egy kis kurblija van a tetején.
She held the crank and turned it with her hand.
Common mistake:
Learners may call every handle a "crank". A crank is specifically a handle or arm that you turn in a circle to work a mechanism, not just anything you hold.
Meaning
handle that turns to operate
Collocations
turn the crank
|hand crank
|crank handle
|starter crank
|coffee grinder crank
|crank mechanism
Synonyms
handle (A more general word; a "crank" is a special kind of handle used for turning to operate a mechanism.)
Antonyms
button (A button is pressed rather than turned; in modern machines buttons often replace old-style cranks.)
Themes
technology
|tools
|work
Definition
A metal bar or handle that you hold and turn to make a machine work.
A handle or arm attached to a shaft or axle that you turn by hand to operate a machine or to change circular motion into another kind of motion.
VERB
C1
INFORMAL
4
Usage pattern:
to crank out [something]
The studio cranks out three or four low-budget horror movies every year.
A stúdió évente három-négy alacsony költségvetésű horrorfilmet gyárt futószalagon.
He can crank out a five-page report in under an hour.
Akár egy ötoldalas jelentést is le tud gyártani kevesebb mint egy óra alatt.
They just crank out cheap T-shirts for the tourist shops.
The website cranks out clickbait articles day and night.
Learner examples
The company cranks out many new games every month.
A cég havonta rengeteg új játékot gyárt futószalagon.
She cranks out short stories to pay her bills.
Novellákat ont magából, hogy ki tudja fizetni a számláit.
They crank out reports without checking the details.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "crank" without "out" in this sense (e.g. *"They crank reports"*). The natural phrase is "crank out" when talking about producing things quickly.
Meaning
produce a lot very quickly
Collocations
crank out reports
|crank out songs
|crank out code
|crank out movies
|crank out essays
|crank out content
Synonyms
churn out (Very close in meaning, but "churn out" is slightly more common; both imply fast, mechanical production.)
Antonyms
craft (To craft something suggests slow, careful, skilled work, the opposite of quickly cranking something out.)
Themes
work
|media
|productivity
|business
Definition
To make many things very fast, often without much care or new ideas.
To produce something, especially many similar things, quickly and somewhat mechanically, often with little care or creativity.
VERB
C1
INFORMAL
5
Usage pattern:
to crank [something] up
They cranked up the music until the neighbors complained.
Addig tekerték fel a zenét, amíg a szomszédok panaszkodni nem kezdtek.
The company is cranking up production before the holiday season.
A cég felpörgeti a termelést az ünnepi szezon előtt.
Coaches have been cranking up the pressure on the players this week.
As the deadline nears, we really need to crank things up around here.
Learner examples
He cranked up the volume on the TV.
Feltekerte a hangerőt a tévén.
The factory cranks up production in December.
A gyár decemberben felpörgeti a termelést.
The boss cranked up the pressure on the sales team.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *"crank the music"* when they mean "crank up the music". In this sense, the particle "up" is normally needed.
Meaning
increase intensity or start strongly
Collocations
crank up the music
|crank up the volume
|crank up production
|crank up the pressure
|crank things up
|crank up the heat
Synonyms
boost (Similar idea of increasing, but "boost" is more neutral and can be formal; "crank up" sounds more physical and informal.)
Antonyms
turn down (Common opposite when talking about sound or intensity you can control, like music or heat.)
Themes
intensity
|work
|entertainment
|core_vocabulary
|communication
Definition
To make something, like music or activity, much stronger or louder, often very suddenly.
To make something such as sound, activity, or effort start forcefully or become much stronger, especially by turning a control or by pushing people to do more.
NOUN
C1
SLANG
6
metamfetamin
C1
kristálymet
C1
Usage pattern:
to use crank
He was arrested for trying to sell crank to an undercover officer.
Letartóztatták, mert metamfetamint próbált eladni egy fedett nyomozónak.
Years of using crank had destroyed his health.
A többéves metamfetamin-használat tönkretette az egészségét.
Police seized several bags of crank during the raid.
She said her brother started with pills and later moved on to crank.
Learner examples
The movie shows a man who takes crank and loses his job.
A film egy férfit mutat be, aki metamfetamint használ, és elveszíti az állását.
Police found crank in the back of the car.
A rendőrök metamfetamint találtak az autó hátsó részében.
Using crank is illegal and very dangerous.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this slang meaning with the more common meanings related to people or machines. This drug sense appears mainly in crime reports, movies, and informal speech about drugs.
Meaning
slang for methamphetamine
Collocations
sell crank
|use crank
|on crank
|crank dealer
|crank addict
|cook crank
Synonyms
meth (The most common slang abbreviation for methamphetamine; "crank" is another slang term, often with a rough or street connotation.)
Antonyms
sobriety (Refers to a drug-free state, the opposite of using crank or being on drugs.)
Themes
crime
|drugs
|health
|daily_life
Definition
A slang word for the illegal drug methamphetamine.
Slang for methamphetamine, an illegal, highly addictive stimulant drug.
NOUN
B2
TECHNICAL
7
He bent the right crank when he crashed his bike.
Elgörbítette a jobb hajtókart, amikor elesett a biciklijével.
Upgrading to shorter cranks helped her spin faster on climbs.
A rövidebb hajtókarokra váltás segített neki, hogy emelkedőkön magasabb fordulatszámon tekerjen.
The mechanic said the crank was worn and needed replacing.
Mud had built up around the cranks and bottom bracket.
Learner examples
The bike shop changed the left crank after the accident.
A bicikliszerviz a baleset után kicserélte a bal hajtókart.
A long crank can make it easier to push the pedals.
A hosszú hajtókar megkönnyítheti a pedálok lenyomását.
There is rust on the old bike’s cranks.
Common mistake:
Learners may call the whole pedal plus arm a "pedal". In cycling, the "pedal" is the part you step on, and the "crank" (or "crank arm") is the arm that connects it to the bike.
Meaning
arm connecting pedal to axle
Collocations
crank arm
|crank length
|bent crank
|replace the crank
|crankset
|aluminum crank
Synonyms
crank arm (More specific term used by cyclists and mechanics; refers to the same part but not just any crank mechanism.)
Antonyms
wheel (In bicycle vocabulary, the wheel is a rotating part that rolls on the ground, while the crank is the rotating arm you push with your foot; they have related but opposite roles in the drive system.)
Themes
sports
|technology
|transport
|transportation
Definition
On a bicycle, the long metal piece that joins the pedal to the center part that turns the chain.
On a bicycle, the metal arm that connects the pedal to the bottom-bracket axle and turns the chainring when you pedal.
Grammar
Dictionary form
crank
IPA
GB/kɹˈæŋk/
US/kɹˈæŋk/
Syllables & stress
crank (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (crank)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: crank
- Plural: cranks
Verb
- Base: crank
- 3rd Person Singular: cranks
- Present Participle: cranking
- Past: cranked
Word family
Forms
cranks
noun
cranking
verb
cranked
verb
Core family
cranky
adjective
Related words
crankiness
noun
crankily
adverb
Advanced or less common
crankshaft
noun
Expressions
crank call
1/kɹˈæŋk kˈɔl/
fixed phrase
informal
annoying or prank phone call
A phone call made as a joke or to bother someone, where the caller says strange or false things and usually hides who they are.
Examples
- The radio station gets a lot of crank calls late at night.
- She kept receiving crank calls from someone who wouldn’t say their name.
- Police said the bomb threat was just a crank call.
crank out
1/kɹˈæŋk ˈaʊt/
phrasal verb
informal
produce a lot very fast
To make many things very quickly, often in a mechanical way and without much care or creativity.
Examples
- The factory cranks out thousands of plastic toys every day.
- She cranks out blog posts to keep the website active.
- They’re under pressure to crank out new features before the holiday season.
crank up
1/kɹˈæŋk ˈʌp/
phrasal verb
informal
increase or start something strongly
To make something, like music, heat, or activity, much stronger or louder, or to start it with a lot of energy.
Examples
- They cranked up the music as soon as the party started.
- The government is cranking up efforts to fight inflation.
- As the game went on, the crowd really cranked up the noise.