6  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Crank  \Crank\  (kr?nk),  n.  [OE.  cranke;  akin  to  E.  cringe, 
  cringle,  crinkle,  and  to  crank,  a.,  the  root  meaning, 
  probably,  ``to  turn,  twist.''  See  {Cringe}.] 
  1.  (Mach.)  A  bent  portion  of  an  axle,  or  shaft,  or  an  arm 
  keyed  at  right  angles  to  the  end  of  a  shaft,  by  which 
  motion  is  imparted  to  or  received  from  it  also  used  to 
  change  circular  into  reciprocating  motion,  or 
  reciprocating  into  circular  motion.  See  {Bell  crank}. 
 
  2.  Any  bend,  turn,  or  winding,  as  of  a  passage. 
 
  So  many  turning  cranks  these  have  so  many  crooks. 
  --Spenser. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Crank  \Crank\  (kr?nk),  a.  [AS.  cranc  weak;  akin  to  Icel.  krangr, 
  D.  &  G.  krank  sick,  weak  (cf.  D.  krengen  to  careen).  Cf 
  {Crank},  n.] 
  1.  Sick;  infirm.  [Prov.  Eng.] 
 
  2.  (Naut.)  Liable  to  careen  or  be  overset,  as  a  ship  when  she 
  is  too  narrow,  or  has  not  sufficient  ballast,  or  is  loaded 
  too  high,  to  carry  full  sail. 
 
  3.  Full  of  spirit;  brisk;  lively;  sprightly;  overconfident; 
  opinionated. 
 
  He  who  was  a  little  before  bedrid,  .  .  .  was  now 
  crank  and  lusty.  --Udall. 
 
  If  you  strong  electioners  did  not  think  you  were 
  among  the  elect,  you  would  not  be  so  crank  about  it 
  --Mrs.  Stowe. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Crank  \Crank\,  v.  i.  [See  {Crank},  n.] 
  To  run  with  a  winding  course;  to  double;  to  crook;  to  wind 
  and  turn. 
 
  See  how  this  river  comes  me  cranking  in  --Shak. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  crank 
  adj  :  (used  of  boats)  inclined  to  heel  over  easily  under  sail 
  [syn:  {cranky},  {tender},  {tippy}] 
  n  1:  a  bad-tempered  person  [syn:  {grouch},  {grump},  {churl},  {crosspatch}] 
  2:  a  whimsically  eccentric  person  [syn:  {crackpot},  {nut},  {nutcase}, 
  {fruitcake},  {screwball}] 
  3:  rotating  shaft  with  parallel  handle  [syn:  {starter}] 
  v  1:  travel  along  a  zigzag  path:  "The  river  zigzags  through  the 
  countryside"  [syn:  {zigzag}] 
  2:  start  by  cranking;  of  engines  [syn:  {crank  up}] 
  3:  rotate  with  a  crank  [syn:  {crank  up}] 
  4:  fasten  with  a  crank 
  5:  bend  into  the  shape  of  a  crank 
 
  From  Jargon  File  (4.2.3,  23  NOV  2000)  [jargon]: 
 
  crank  vt  [from  automotive  slang]  Verb  used  to  describe  the 
  performance  of  a  machine,  especially  sustained  performance.  "This  box 
  cranks  (or,  cranks  at)  about  6  megaflops,  with  a  burst  mode  of  twice 
  that  on  vectorized  operations." 
 
 
 
  From  The  Free  On-line  Dictionary  of  Computing  (13  Mar  01)  [foldoc]: 
 
  crank 
 
  (Automotive  slang)  Verb  used  to  describe  the  performance  of  a 
  machine,  especially  sustained  performance.  "This  box  cranks 
  (or,  cranks  at)  about  6  megaflops,  with  a  burst  mode  of  twice 
  that  on  vectorised  operations." 
 
  [{Jargon  File}] 
 
  (1994-12-01) 
 
 

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