Etymology

crank

C3R1A1N1K5

Today it means: Hard; difficult. Full definition →

Low German krank ← Proto-West Germanic *krank ← Proto-Germanic *krangaz
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crank · adjective, noun1

  1. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*krangaz
  2. Proto-West Germanic · derived from*krank
  3. Low German · borrowed fromkrank
  4. English todaycrank

From Dutch or Low German krank, ultimately from Proto-West Germanic *krank, from Proto-Germanic *krangaz, *krankaz (“bent; weak”). Cognate with Scots crank, krank, German krank (“sick”).

crank · noun, verb2

  1. Old English · derived fromcrancstæf“weaving tool, crank”
  2. Middle English · inherited fromcrank
  3. English todaycrank

From Middle English crank, cronk, from a shortening of Old English crancstæf (“weaving tool, crank”, literally “bent or crooked staff”), the first element ultimately related to Etymology 1 above.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.