screw up

screw  (skr) n. 1. a. A cylindrical rod incised with one or more helical or advancing spiral threads, as a lead screw or worm screw. b. The tapped collar or socket that receives this rod. 2. A metal pin with incised threads and a broad slotted head that can be driven as a fastener by turning with a screwdriver, especially: a. A tapered and pointed wood screw. b. A cylindrical and flat-tipped machine screw. 3. A device having a helical form, such as a corkscrew. 4. A propeller. 5. A twist or turn of or as if of a screw. 6. Slang a. A prison guard. b. The turnkey of a jail. 7. Vulgar Slang The act or an instance of having sexual intercourse. 8. Chiefly British Slang a. Salary; wages. b. A small paper packet, as of tobacco. c. An old broken-down horse. d. A stingy or crafty bargainer. v. screwed, screw·ing, screws v.tr. 1. To drive or tighten (a screw). 2. a. To fasten, tighten, or attach by or as if by means of a screw. b. To attach (a tapped or threaded fitting or cap) by twisting into place. c. To rotate (a part) on a threaded axis. 3. To contort (one's face). 4. Slang To take advantage of; cheat: screwed me out of the most lucrative sales territory. 5. Vulgar Slang To have sexual intercourse with. v.intr. 1. To turn or twist. 2. a. To become attached by means of the threads of a screw. b. To be capable of such attachment. 3. Vulgar Slang To have sexual intercourse. Phrasal Verbs: screw around 1. Slang To act or fool around aimlessly or in a confused way and accomplish nothing. 2. Vulgar Slang To be sexually promiscuous. screw up 1. To muster or summon up: screwed up my courage. 2. Slang To make a mess of (an undertaking). 3. Slang To injure; damage: Lifting those boxes really screwed up my back. 4. Slang To make neurotic or anxious. Idiom: have a screw loose Slang 1. To behave in an eccentric manner. 2. To be insane. [Middle English skrewe, from Old French escrove, female screw, nut, perhaps from Medieval Latin scrfa, from Latin, sow; see sker-1 in Indo-European roots.] screwa·ble adj. screwer n.

screw left to right: round-head machine screw, flat-head wood screw, and round-head wood screw

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screw up

vb (tr, adverb)

1. to twist out of shape or distort

2. to summon up or call upon to screw up one's courage

3. (also intr) Informal to mishandle or make a mess (of)

4. (often passive) Informal to cause to become very anxious, confused, or nervous he is really screwed up about his exams

n screw-up

Slang something mishandled or done badly

Thesaurus

Verb	1.	screw up - make more intense; "Emotions were screwed up" hot up, heat up compound, deepen, intensify, heighten - make more intense, stronger, or more marked; "The efforts were intensified", "Her rudeness intensified his dislike for her"; "Pot smokers claim it heightens their awareness"; "This event only deepened my convictions"
	2.	screw up - make a mess of, destroy or ruin; "I botched the dinner and we had to eat out"; "the pianist screwed up the difficult passage in the second movement" bobble, bodge, bollix, bollix up, bollocks, bollocks up, botch, botch up, bumble, bungle, flub, fluff, foul up, fuck up, louse up, mess up, mishandle, muck up, ball up, spoil, muff, fumble, blow go wrong, miscarry, fail - be unsuccessful; "Where do today's public schools fail?"; "The attempt to rescue the hostages failed miserably"
	3.	screw up - screw or turn higher screw - turn like a screw
	4.	screw up - twist into a strained configuration; "screw up one's face" grimace, make a face, pull a face - contort the face to indicate a certain mental or emotional state; "He grimaced when he saw the amount of homework he had to do"

Translations

? screw up

vt sep

screw, nut → anziehen

(= crush) paper, material → zusammenknüllen, zerknüllen

eyes → zusammenkneifen; face → verziehen; to screw up one’s courage → seinen ganzen Mut zusammennehmen; to screw oneself up to do something → sich aufraffen, etw zu tun

(inf: = spoil) → vermasseln (inf); he’s really screwed things up → er hat da wirklich Scheiße gebaut (inf)

(inf: = make uptight) sb → neurotisch machen; he’s so screwed up → der hat einen Schaden (inf); to be screwed up about something → sich wegen etw ganz verrückt machen; to get screwed up about something → sich in etw (acc) → hineinsteigern

vi (inf: = make a mess) → Scheiße bauen (inf) → (on sth bei etw)