Screw Meaning
Screw Definition & Usage
A metal fastener with a helical ridge, used to join materials together by being turned into them.
Examples
- "I need a screw to fix the shelf to the wall."
- "The carpenter used a large screw to secure the beams in place."
- "Be sure to tighten the screws before you hang the picture."
- "She grabbed a screwdriver and twisted the screw into the wood."
- "He couldn't find the right size screw to fix the door handle."
To fasten something with a screw, or to twist or turn something in a way that causes it to tighten or be secured.
Examples
- "She screwed the lightbulb into the socket."
- "He screwed the cap back onto the bottle."
- "Make sure to screw the lid on tightly so the contents don't spill."
- "The workers screwed the panels into place on the roof."
- "After assembling the furniture, they screwed in the final leg."
A difficult or unpleasant situation or a problem, often one that is created by someone or something.
Examples
- "Now we're really in a screw—how do we fix this mess?"
- "This project's a real screw; we have no idea where to start."
- "I got caught in a screw at work, and now I'm behind on everything."
- "The plan is a screw-up from the start, I can feel it."
- "Don't get yourself into a screw that you can't get out of!"
To deceive or cheat someone, often used in a colloquial sense.
Examples
- "They screwed me out of the deal by changing the terms at the last minute."
- "I can't believe you let him screw you over like that."
- "The company screwed its workers by cutting their benefits."
- "He screwed me with that fake job offer, and now I can't find any other work."
- "You can't screw your friends and expect them to stick around."
Cultural Context
The word 'screw' is of Latin and Old French origin, related to a tool for fastening and turning. Over time, it expanded into a variety of figurative meanings, particularly in informal and slang contexts.
The Screwed-Up Project
Story
The Screwed-Up Project
Maggie had been planning the renovation for months, and everything was going smoothly. She'd bought all the materials and was carefully screwing in each panel of the new bookshelf. But when she went to screw the final piece into place, disaster struck. The screw slipped, causing the wood to split. Frustrated, she muttered, 'Well, that's just great. Now I'm really screwed.' Her colleague, Jack, came in just as she was assessing the damage. 'What happened?' he asked, looking over her shoulder. 'I thought you had everything under control.' 'Everything was fine until the screw snapped in half,' Maggie explained, holding up the broken tool. 'This project’s a screw from the start. I don’t know if I can fix it in time.' Jack smiled, sensing an opportunity to play it cool. 'Don't worry, I'll help you out. Let's just screw it back together. Maybe it's not as bad as you think.' Despite his confidence, when they tried to fix the shelf, Jack accidentally made it worse. 'This is a screw-up,' he admitted. 'I should’ve just let you handle it.' As they sat back, Maggie couldn’t help but laugh. 'At least we’re not totally screwed—yet.' They both paused and then burst into laughter, the tension easing. It wasn’t perfect, but sometimes you just had to screw things together, even when you made mistakes along the way.
