to crank

Examples

• All

• You crank and there is music!

  China Gate (1957)

• In those days, cars needed to be hand cranked to start.

• All you need to do is crank it and go on in.

• Yeah, no, just crank it as much as you can just for him, though.

• Let's crank it up to mach 5.

  Control (2004)

• Crank up the volume.

  Marlowe (2023)

• Then tune all your radios to the baddest street garage station and crank up the volume to the max.

  Ali G Indahouse (2002)

• In older models, you had to crank the engine to start the car.

• To launch the toy airplane, simply crank the winding mechanism until it clicks.

• When the power went out, she had to crank the flashlight to get it to work.

Synonyms

T

to turn on

vsto crank

550 1.0

To make a machine or device start working

means using manual handle rotation rather than switch or button activation

S

to start up

vsto crank

38 3.0

To make a machine or system begin to work

involves hand turning of a handle specifically rather than any method

C

to crank up

vsto crank

2 4.4

To start a machine by turning a handle

has identical meaning but is formed as a two word phrasal verb

K

to kickstart

vsto crank

1 4.5

To start a motorcycle engine by pushing a foot lever

uses hand turning of a handle rather than a foot-powered lever

Antonyms

S

to stop

∞ 1.0

To make something end and not continue

Phrasal Verbs

C

to crank up

• Informal

39 3.8

To increase the level or strength of something, for example volume, production

C

to crank out

• Informal

16 4.0

To make many things quickly, often without much care

C

to crank up

2 4.4

To start a machine by turning a handle

C

to crank up the volume

• Informal

1 3.4

Make the sound louder on a radio, music player, or TV

C

to crank the handle

1 3.7

Turn a handle by hand to make a machine start or work

C

to crank up to eleven

• Slang

8.6

To increase something to its highest or most extreme level

Compounds

C

crank call

• Offensive

4 6.7

A telephone call made to annoy someone as a joke

C

crank arm

• Specialized

1 3.8

A metal arm that connects a bicycle pedal to the chain

C

crank letter

• Offensive

1 8.6

A letter sent anonymously to threaten or upset someone

C

crank handle

4.9

A piece you turn by hand to start an engine or make a machine work

C

crank science

• Slang

9.6

False or not proven ideas that claim to explain how the world works

How Easy

button

730 1.0

to switch

123 1.0

trigger

388 3.9

lever

• Specialized

88 1.2

to crank

61 4.5

Surface Forms

Etymology