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SCREW UP
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
I. (verb)
Sense 1
Meaning:
Twist into a strained configuration
Example:
screw up one's face
Classified under:
Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care
Hypernyms (to "screw up" is one way to...):
grimace; make a face; pull a face (contort the face to indicate a certain mental or emotional state)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Sense 2
Meaning:
Make more intense
Example:
Emotions were screwed up
Synonyms:
Classified under:
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.
Hypernyms (to "screw up" is one way to...):
compound; deepen; heighten; intensify (make more intense, stronger, or more marked)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Sense 3
Meaning:
Screw or turn higher
Classified under:
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging
Hypernyms (to "screw up" is one way to...):
screw (turn like a screw)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Sense 4
Meaning:
Make a mess of, destroy or ruin
Example:
the pianist screwed up the difficult passage in the second movement
Synonyms:
ball up; blow; bobble; bodge; bollix; bollix up; bollocks; bollocks up; botch; botch up; bumble; bungle; flub; fluff; foul up; fuck up; fumble; louse up; mess up; mishandle; muck up; muff; screw up; spoil
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
Hypernyms (to "screw up" is one way to...):
fail; go wrong; miscarry (be unsuccessful)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Derivation:
screwup (the complete mismanagement or mishandling of a situation)
