Allen wrench
2
4.1
- noun
- /ˈælən rɛntʃ/
- US
:
llave Allen
- But there are Allen wrench sets you can buy, handheld sets, long set, short sets.
- set of Allen wrenches
- 5-mm Allen wrench
And this will, yes, sure, this will go into effect as soon as they can find that little Allen wrench to take the stores apart.
- And this will, yes, sure, this will go into effect as soon as they can find that little Allen wrench to take the stores apart.
- Don't just race ahead like you do with IKEA furniture because you can't fix this with an Allen wrench.
Examples
-
I put together my new bike with an Allen wrench to tighten the bolts.
-
Allen wrench in hand, I removed the front of their cribs.
Blog text (13) -
I mean one, one single Allen wrench is all that did the whole job and it went together really well.
-
I could actually use a couple of Allen wrenches.
Fiction book (1992) -
She inserted the Allen wrench into an aperture in the centrifugal pump and tried to turn it.
Fiction book (1995) -
So you got some Allen wrenches, you got a screwdriver, you got pliers, bulbs, fuses, you even have a flashlight.
-
To assemble the shelf, you will need an Allen wrench for the screws.
-
He used an Allen wrench to adjust the seat height on his bicycle.
Synonyms
1
4.2
A small L-shaped tool used to turn screws with a six-sided hole
A small L-shaped metal tool used to turn bolts and screws with six-sided holes
A small metal tool with a six-sided bar for turning screws with matching holes
A small metal tool with a six-sided tip that turns screws with a six-sided hole in the head
A tool like an Allen key for turning bolts and screws with six-sided sockets
Surface Forms
Morphology
Allen + wrench
The noun 'wrench' makes it clear this is a kind of tool, so a B1 learner would infer it denotes a type of wrench. However, 'Allen' is an eponym/brand name and does not transparently indicate the distinctive hexagonal key shape or its specific use, so the precise meaning (a hex key/Allen key) is not fully predictable from the parts.
Etymology
Allen wrench is named after a company called Allen that made the small L-shaped metal wrench or 'key' that fits into screws with a six-sided hole. So the name stuck and now Allen wrench means that little L-shaped tool used to tighten or loosen those screws.