SCREW UP

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does screw up mean? 

• SCREW UP (verb)
  The verb SCREW UP has 4 senses:

1. make more intense

2. make a mess of, destroy or ruin

3. screw or turn higher

4. twist into a strained configuration

  Familiarity information: SCREW UP used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SCREW UP (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Make more intense

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

heat up; hot up; screw up

Context example:

Emotions were screwed up

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 2

Meaning:

Make a mess of, destroy or ruin

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

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

Context example:

the pianist screwed up the difficult passage in the second movement

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)

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:

Twist into a strained configuration

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Context example:

screw up one's face

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

 Context examples 

I left him in the drawing-room, and told Van Helsing that he had said good-bye; so the latter went to the kitchen to tell the undertaker's men to proceed with the preparations and to screw up the coffin.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)