A lever whose two arms form a right angle, or nearly a right angle, having its fulcrum at the apex of the angle. It is used in bell pulls and in changing the direction of bell wires at angles of rooms, etc., and also in machinery. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Any bend, turn, or winding, as of a passage. [ 1913 Webster ]

So many turning cranks these have, so many crooks. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A twist or turn in speech; a conceit consisting in a change of the form or meaning of a word. [ 1913 Webster ]

Quips, and cranks, and wanton wiles. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A twist or turn of the mind; caprice; whim; crotchet; also, a fit of temper or passion. [ Prov. Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Violent of temper; subject to sudden cranks. Carlyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. A person full of crotchets; one given to fantastic or impracticable projects; one whose judgment is perverted in respect to a particular matter. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

6. A sick person; an invalid. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Thou art a counterfeit crank, a cheater. Burton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Crank axle (Mach.), a driving axle formed with a crank or cranks, as in some kinds of locomotives. --
Crank pin (Mach.), the cylindrical piece which forms the handle, or to which the connecting rod is attached, at the end of a crank, or between the arms of a double crank. --
Crank shaft, a shaft bent into a crank, or having a crank fastened to it, by which it drives or is driven. --
Crank wheel, a wheel acting as a crank, or having a wrist to which a connecting rod is attached. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Full of spirit; brisk; lively; sprightly; overconfident; opinionated. [ 1913 Webster ]

He who was, a little before, bedrid, . . . was now crank and lusty. Udall. [ 1913 Webster ]

If you strong electioners did not think you were among the elect, you would not be so crank about it. Mrs. Stowe. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ See Crank, n. ] To run with a winding course; to double; to crook; to wind and turn. [ 1913 Webster ]

See how this river comes me cranking in. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) A small European woodpecker (Picus minor). [ 1913 Webster ]

n. the housing for a crankshaft and connecting parts in an internal-combustion engine. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. Formed with, or having, a bend or crank; as, a cranked axle. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Crankness. Lowell. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A bend or turn; a twist; a crinkle. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ Cf. Crinkle. ] To break into bends, turns, or angles; to crinkle. [ 1913 Webster ]

Old Veg's stream . . . drew her humid train aslope,
Crankling her banks. J. Philips. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To bend, turn, or wind. [ 1913 Webster ]

Along the crankling path. Drayton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. (Naut.) Liability to be overset; -- said of a ship or other vessel. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Sprightliness; vigor; health. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Full of spirit; crank. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Addicted to crotchets and whims; unreasonable in opinions; crotchety. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Unsteady; easy to upset; crank. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Thin; lean. [ Scot. ] [ 1913 Webster ]