Machinery. any of several types of arms or levers for imparting rotary or oscillatory motion to a rotating shaft, one end of the crank being fixed to the shaft and the other end receiving reciprocating motion from a hand, connecting rod, etc.
2.
Informal. an ill-tempered, grouchy person.
3.
an unbalanced person who is overzealous in the advocacy of a private cause.
4.
an eccentric or whimsical notion.
5.
a strikingly clever turn of speech or play on words.
6.
Archaic. a bend; turn.
7.
Slang. the nasal decongestant propylhexedrine, used illicitly for its euphoric effects.
8.
AutomotiveSlang. a crankshaft.
–verb (used with object)
9.
to bend into or make in the shape of a crank.
10.
to furnish with a crank.
11.
Machinery. to rotate (a shaft) by means of a crank.
12.
to start (an internal-combustion engine) by turning the crankshaft manually or by means of a small motor.
13.
to start the engine of (a motor vehicle) by turning the crankshaft manually.
–verb (used without object)
14.
to turn a crank, as in starting an automobile engine.
15.
Obsolete. to turn and twist; zigzag.
–adjective
16.
unstable; shaky; unsteady.
17.
of, pertaining to, or by an unbalanced or overzealous person: a crank phone call; crank mail.
A device for transmitting rotary motion, consisting of a handle or arm attached at right angles to a shaft.
A clever turn of speech; a verbal conceit: quips and cranks.
A peculiar or eccentric idea or action.
Informal
A grouchy person.
An eccentric person, especially one who is unduly zealous.
Slang Methamphetamine.
v.
cranked, crank·ing, cranks
v.
tr.
To start or operate (an engine, for example) by or as if by turning a handle.
To move or operate (a window, for example) by or as if by turning a handle.
To make into the shape of a crank; bend.
To provide with a handle that is used in turning.
v.
intr.
To turn a handle.
To wind in a zigzagging course.
adj. Of, being, or produced by an eccentric person: a crank letter; a crank phone call. Phrasal Verb(s): crank outTo produce, especially mechanically and rapidly: cranks out memo after memo. crank up
To cause to start or get started as if by turning a crank: cranked up a massive publicity campaign.
To cause to intensify, as in volume or force: cranks up the sound on the stereo.
[Middle English, from Old English cranc- (as in crancstæf, weaving implement).]
Get started, as in The theater season is cranking up with four benefit performances. This expression transfers the literal sense of crank, "operate a motor by turning a crank," to starting any activity. [Slang; 1930s]
Stimulate or intensify one's efforts. For example, We've got to crank up enthusiasm for this new product, or Close to the election the campaign really cranked up. [Slang; mid-1900s]
[krangk-uhp] 
