screw
screw [screw screws screwed screwing] noun, verb BrE [skruː] NAmE [skruː]
noun 
1. countable a thin pointed piece of metal like a nail with a raised ↑spiral line (called a ↑thread) along it and a line or cross cut into its head. Screws are turned and pressed into wood, metal, etc. with a ↑screwdriver in order to fasten two things together
• One of the screws is loose.
• Now tighten all the screws.
see also ↑corkscrew
2. countable an act of turning a screw
3. singular (taboo, slang)an act of having sex
4. singular (taboo, slang)a partner in sex
•a good screw
5. countable a ↑propeller on a ship, a boat or an aircraft
6. countable (BrE, slang)a prison officer
more at a turn of the screw at ↑turn n.
Word Origin:
late Middle English (as a noun): from Old French escroue ‘female screw, nut’, from Latin scrofa, literally ‘sow’, later ‘screw’. The early sense of the verb was ‘contort (the features), twist around’ (late 16th cent.).
Collocations:
Decorating and home improvement
Houses
refurbish/renovate/ (BrE) do up a building/a house
convert a building/house/room into homes/offices/(especially NAmE) apartments/(BrE) flats
extend/enlarge a house/building/room/kitchen
build (BrE) an extension (to the back/rear of a house)/(NAmE) an addition (on/to sth)/(BrE) a conservatory
knock down/demolish a house/home/building/wall
knock out/through the wall separating two rooms
Decoration
furnish/paint/ (especially BrE) decorate a home/house/apartment/flat/room
be decorated in bright colours/(especially US) colors/in a traditional style/with flowers/with paintings
paint/plaster the walls/ceiling
hang/put up/strip off/remove the wallpaper
install/replace/remove the bathroom fixtures/(BrE) fittings
build/put up shelves
lay wooden flooring/timber decking/floor tiles/a carpet/a patio
put up/hang/take down a picture/painting/poster/curtain
DIY/home improvement
do (BrE) DIY/carpentry/the plumbing/the wiring
make home improvements
add/install central heating/underfloor heating/insulation
fit/install double-glazing/a smoke alarm
insulate your house/your home/the walls/the pipes/the tanks/(especially BrE) the loft
fix/repair a roof/a leak/a pipe/the plumbing/a leaking (especially BrE) tap/(NAmE usually) faucet
block/clog (up)/unblock/unclog a pipe/sink
make/drill/fill a hole
hammer (in)/pull out/remove a nail
tighten/untighten/loosen/remove a screw
saw/cut/treat/stain/varnish/paint wood
Idioms: ↑have a screw loose ▪ ↑put the screws on ▪ screw him/you/that ▪ ↑screw up your courage
Derived: ↑screw around ▪ ↑screw somebody up ▪ ↑screw something out of somebody ▪ ↑screw something up ▪ ↑screw up ▪ ↑screw your eyes up
verb
1. transitive ~ sth + adv./prep. to fasten one thing to another or make sth tight with a screw or screws
• The bookcase is screwed to the wall.
• You need to screw all the parts together.
•Now screw down the lid.
compare ↑unscrew
2. transitive to twist sth around in order to fasten it in place
•~ sth + adv./prep. She screwed the cap back on the jar.
•~ sth + adj. Screw the bolt tight.
compare ↑unscrew
3. intransitive (+ adv./prep.) to be attached by screwing
• The bulb should just screw into the socket.
• The lid simply screws on.
4. transitive to squeeze sth, especially a piece of paper, into a tight ball
•~ sth up (into sth) I screwed up the letter and threw it into the fire.
•~ sth (up) into sth Screw the foil into a little ball.
see also ↑screwed-up
5. transitive (slang)to cheat sb, especially by making them pay too much money for sth
•~ sb We've been screwed.
•~ sb for sth How much did they screw you for (= how much did you have to pay)?
6. intransitive, transitive ~ (sb) (taboo, slang)to have sex with sb
more at have your head screwed on at ↑head n.
Verb forms: 
Word Origin:
late Middle English (as a noun): from Old French escroue ‘female screw, nut’, from Latin scrofa, literally ‘sow’, later ‘screw’. The early sense of the verb was ‘contort (the features), twist around’ (late 16th cent.).
Example Bank:
•I screwed the lid back on the jar.
•Screw the drain cover down tightly.
•She screwed the lock into the door.
•The bed was screwed to the floor.
•How much did they screw you for?
•We've been screwed.
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