cranks

Noun

crank (plural cranks)

1. (dialectal) An ailment, ache.
2. (informal) An ill-tempered or nasty person.
   • Billy-Bob is a nasty old crank! He chased my cat away.
3. A twist or turn of the mind; caprice; whim;
4. A fit of temper or passion.
   • Violent of temper; subject to sudden cranks.1858–1865, Thomas Carlyle, History of Friedrich II. of Prussia, Called Frederick the Great, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: Chapman and Hall, […], →OCLC
5. (UK, dated, informal) A person who is considered strange or odd by others, and may behave in unconventional ways.
   • John is a crank because he talks to himself.

   Synonyms:

   kook, odd duck, weirdo, crackpot, bizarro, coot, eccentric, freak, glaik, hard case

6. (informal) An amateur in science or other technical subjects who persistently advocates flawed theories.
   • That crank next door thinks he’s created cold fusion in his garage.

See all 29 meanings of crank