adjustable wrench
1
3.0
- noun
- /əˈdʒʌstəbl rɛntʃ/
- US
:
llave ajustable
- For this project, an adjustable wrench is essential because it can adapt to different bolt sizes.
- a large adjustable wrench
Examples
-
If you don't own a water meter key, you can turn it off with an adjustable wrench and a screwdriver like this:
Blog text (20) -
However, it is advisable to have a small adjustable wrench or a 7/16" end wrench available.
Academic text (1993) -
Doc, with great economy, managed to explain to Axel the saurian techniques for manipulating certain tools designed for human hands, specifically the screwdriver and the adjustable wrench.
Fiction book (2002) -
I used an adjustable wrench to tighten the loose bolts on my bike.
-
The mechanic handed me an adjustable wrench that easily fit various sizes of nuts.
Synonyms
60
2.5
A hand tool with a shaped opening that grips and turns nuts and bolts
6
4.2
A hand tool with a handle and removable metal pieces that fit over and turn nuts and bolts
2
3.0
A tool with one fixed and one movable jaw that grips and turns bolts
1
3.8
A metal tool with a movable jaw for holding and turning nuts and bolts
1
3.5
A tool with a closed circular end that fits over a nut or bolt to turn it
A tool with a movable jaw that fits nuts and bolts of different sizes
A tool with one movable jaw that you move by turning a screw to hold nuts or bolts
A tool with two jaws that have teeth and that grips and turns pipes
A wrench with a closed ring end that fits over a nut or bolt
A tool that turns nuts and bolts to make them tight or loose
How Heavy-duty
- Specialized
1
3.7
- US
60
2.5
- Specialized
3
6.8
6
4.2
- US
1
3.0
- Specialized
- Specialized
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a wrench with a movable jaw that fits different sizes' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'adjustable' (capable of being adjusted) with 'wrench' (a hand tool). This simple adjective+noun compositional pattern is common across languages and follows standard English modification rules, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
Adjustable wrench has a jaw you can move to make the opening bigger or smaller. The word adjustable shows it can be changed and the wrench is the tool for turning nuts and bolts, so the name means it 'fits different sizes'.