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crank

   Also found in: Dictionary/thesaurus, Acronyms, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia 0.09 sec.

crank

An axis bent through one or more right angles; it is used to transmit motion or convert reciprocating (backwards-and-forwards or up-and-down) movement into rotary movement, or vice versa.

Although similar devices may have been employed in antiquity and as early as the 1st century in China and the 8th century in Europe, the earliest recorded use of a crank in a water-raising machine is by Arab mathematician al-Jazari in the 12th century. Not until the 15th century, however, did the crank become fully assimilated into developing European technology.



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? Mentioned in ? References in classic literature
 
In the eyes of the world Pierre was a great gentleman, the rather blind and absurd husband of a distinguished wife, a clever crank who did nothing but harmed nobody and was a first-rate, good-natured fellow.
He has been coming over to Europe now and then, and though he was a good, steady chap enough, he liked his fling when he was over here, and between you and me, he was the greatest crank I ever struck.
However, the moment the crank struck the ground it bounded back to the machine again and began winding it up.
 
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