screwed

UK: /skruːd/ US: (skro̅o̅d)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

screwed  (skro̅o̅d), adj. 

1. Building fastened with screws.
2. Building having grooves like a screw;
   threaded.
3. twisted;
   awry.
4. Slang Terms bilked;
   cheated.
5. British Terms [Chiefly Brit. Slang.] drunk;
   intoxicated.

• screw + -ed² 1640–50

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

screwed / skruːd/ adjective

1. fastened by a screw or screws
2. having spiral grooves like a screw; threaded
3. twisted or distorted
4. 
   a slang word for drunk

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

screw /skru/   n. [countable]

1. a nail-like metal fastener, having a thin end with a spiral groove and a head with a slot:
   A screw is forced into wood by twisting it with a screwdriver.
2. Aeronautics propeller (def. 1).
3. [Slang.] a prison guard.
4. [Slang] (vulgar ).
   • an act of sexual intercourse.

v. 

5. to turn (a screw):
   [~ + object] Screw five of these special screws into position.
6. to (cause to) be fastened with or as if with a screw or screws: [~ + object]
   screwed the seats into the floor.
   [no object]
   The seats screw right into the floor.
7. to attach, detach, or adjust (a threaded part) by a twisting motion: [~ + object + off/on]
   Screw the top of the bottle back on.
   [~ + off/on + object]
   Screw on the bottlecap.
   [no object* ~ + off/on]
   The bottlecap screws right off.
8. to change the shape of by twisting;
   distort: [~ (+ up) + object]
   to screw (up) one's face into a deep frown.
   [~ + object (+ up)]
   to screw one's face (up) into a deep frown.
9. to strengthen:
   [~ + up + object] I screwed up my courage and asked for a raise.
10. [Slang] (vulgar). to cheat or take advantage of (someone):
    [~ + object] We were really screwed on that deal.
11. [Slang] (vulgar ). to have sexual intercourse (with): [~ + object]
    screwed her on their first date.
    [no object]
    screwing with anyone he could find.
12. screw around, [no object] [Slang.]
    • to waste time:
      Quit screwing around and get back to work!
    • to be constantly attempting to have sexual relations.
13. screw up, [Slang.] to ruin* make a mess (of): [~ + up + object]
    He screwed up every job we gave him.
    [~ + object + up]
    He screwed the job up.
    [no object]
    He's always screwing up.

Idioms

14. Idioms have a screw loose, to behave or think oddly:
    He must have a screw loose if he thinks he can get away with this in broad daylight.
15. Idioms put the screws on, [~ + object] to use force on (someone);
    to force (someone):
    The boss will really put the screws on him to work overtime.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

screw  (skro̅o̅), n. 

1. a metal fastener having a tapered shank with a helical thread, and topped with a slotted head, driven into wood or the like by rotating, esp. by means of a screwdriver.
2. a threaded cylindrical pin or rod with a head at one end, engaging a threaded hole and used either as a fastener or as a simple machine for applying power, as in a clamp, jack, etc. Cf. bolt ¹ (def. 3).
3. [Brit.] a tapped or threaded hole.
4. something having a spiral form.
5. See screw propeller. 
6. Usually, screws. physical or mental coercion:
   The terrified debtor soon felt the gangster's screws.
7. a single turn of a screw.
8. a twist, turn, or twisting movement.
9. [Chiefly Brit.]
   • a little salt, sugar, tobacco, etc., carried in a twist of paper.
   • [Slang.] a mean, old, or worn-out horse;
     a horse from which one can obtain no further service.
   • [Slang.] a friend or employer from whom one can obtain no more money.
   • [Slang.] a miser.
10. [Brit. Informal.] salary;
    wages.
11. [Slang.] a prison guard.
12. [Slang] (vulgar).
    • an act of coitus.
    • a person viewed as a sexual partner.
13. have a screw loose, [Slang.] to be eccentric or neurotic;
    have crazy ideas:
    You must have a screw loose to keep so many cats.
14. put the screws on, to compel by exerting pressure on;
    use coercion on;
    force:
    They kept putting the screws on him for more money.

v.t. 

15. to fasten, tighten, force, press, stretch tight, etc., by or as if by means of a screw or device operated by a screw or helical threads.
16. to operate or adjust by a screw, as a press.
17. to attach with a screw or screws:
    to screw a bracket to a wall.
18. to insert, fasten, undo, or work (a screw, bolt, nut, bottle top with a helical thread, etc.) by turning.
19. to contort as by twisting;
    distort:
    Father screwed his face into a grimace of disgust.
20. to cause to become sufficiently strong or intense (usually fol. by up):
    I screwed up my courage to ask for a raise.
21. to coerce or threaten.
22. to extract or extort.
23. to force (a seller) to lower a price (often fol. by down).
24. [Slang.] to cheat or take advantage of (someone).
25. [Slang] (vulgar). to have coitus with.

v.i. 

26. to turn as or like a screw.
27. to be adapted for being connected, taken apart, opened, or closed by means of a screw or screws or parts with helical threads (usually fol. by on, together, or off ):
    This top screws on easily.
28. to turn or move with a twisting or rotating motion.
29. to practice extortion.
30. [Slang] (vulgar). to have coitus.
31. screw around, [Slang.]
    • to waste time in foolish or frivolous activity:
      If you'd stop screwing around we could get this job done.
    • [Vulgar.] to engage in promiscuous sex.
32. screw off, [Slang.]
    • to do nothing;
      loaf.
    • to leave;
      go away.
33. screw up, [Slang.]
    • to ruin through bungling or stupidity:
      Somehow the engineers screwed up the entire construction project.
    • to make a botch of something;
      blunder.
    • to make confused, anxious, or neurotic.

• 1375–1425; late Middle English scrwe, screw(e) (noun, nominal); compare Middle French escro(ue) nut, Middle Dutch schrûve, Middle High German schrûbe screw

screw′a•ble, adj. 
screw′er, n. 
screw′less, adj. 
screw′like′, adj. 
Synonyms

• 22. wring, wrest, force, exact, squeeze.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

screw / skruː/ noun

1. a device used for fastening materials together, consisting of a threaded and usually tapered shank that has a slotted head by which it may be rotated so as to cut its own thread as it bores through the material
2. Also called: screw-bolt a threaded cylindrical rod that engages with a similarly threaded cylindrical hole; bolt
3. a thread in a cylindrical hole corresponding with that on the bolt or screw with which it is designed to engage
4. anything resembling a screw in shape or spiral form
5. a twisting movement of or resembling that of a screw
6. Also called: screw-back a stroke in which the cue ball recoils or moves backward after striking the object ball, made by striking the cue ball below its centre
7. another name for propeller1
8. a prison guard
9. salary, wages, or earnings
10. a small amount of salt, tobacco, etc in a twist of paper
11. a person who is mean with money
12. an old, unsound, or worthless horse
13. (often plural) force or compulsion (esp in the phrase put the screws on)
14. an act of sexual intercourse
15. have a screw loose ⇒ to be eccentric
16. to have a mental illness

verb

1. (transitive) to rotate (a screw or bolt) so as to drive it into or draw it out of a material
2. (transitive) to cut a screw thread in (a rod or hole) with a tap or die or on a lathe
3. to turn or cause to turn in the manner of a screw
4. (transitive) to attach or fasten with a screw or screws
5. (transitive) to take advantage of; cheat
6. (transitive) often followed by up: to distort or contort: he screwed his face into a scowl
7. (tr, often followed by from or out of) to coerce or force out of; extort
8. to have sexual intercourse (with)
9. (transitive) to burgle
10. have one's head screwed on, have one's head screwed on the right way ⇒ to be wise or sensible

Etymology: 15th Century: from French escroe, from Medieval Latin scrōfa screw, from Latin: sow, presumably because the thread of the screw is like the spiral of the sow's tail

ˈscrewer noun