From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishcrankcrank1 /kræŋk/ noun [countable] 1 DTa handle on a piece of equipment, that you can turn in order to move something2 informalMPSTRANGE someone who has unusual ideas and behaves strangely Zoff was originally dismissed as a crank, but his theories later became very influential.3 → crank call/letter4 BAD-TEMPERED American English informal someone who easily gets angry or annoyed with people
Examples from the Corpus
crank• You had to be a crank to insist on being right.• Call me a crank, but I think the world was a lot better before mobile phones came along.• He is prepared for sceptics who think he's a crank.• Handles and cranks, architectural facades, and pump housings were cast-iron.• Vegetarians were once regarded as cranks.• Alternatively, the loan of a Proctor flap crank would enable Q6-sized versions to be fabricated.• This was a simple affair worked by one-man-power, just the turning of a large crank.• In addition, Los Angeles has always demonstrated a remarkably high tolerance for spiritual innovators, political cranks, and religious eccentrics.• The reason this cumbersome arrangement was used was because the simple crank had already been patented in 1780.• Many people are unaware of the recall because the bikes can work perfectly before the crank suddenly breaks off.crankcrank2 (also crank up) verb [transitive] TEMto make something move by turning a crank Try cranking the engine. → crank something ↔ out → crank something ↔ up→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
crank• The 1. 8T Quattro would crank just fine, seemingly ready to roll.• The door behind her cranked open.• She pushed a button, cranking the bed to a more upright position.• You crank the engine while I try to connect these wires.• My sisters cranked thoughts like Univacs.• They had it cranked up pretty loud.• That means cranking up right now.• Bringing me glasses of cold nectar is what they would do, and cranking up the air conditioner.• Tam cranked up the top wire and tied it off at the post.• His light is not just a depiction of nature, but nature with the volume cranked up very loud.Origin crank1 Old English cranc 