1 B2 idiomatic informal
To produce a single piece of work quickly, often prioritising speed over quality.
"I only had an hour before the deadline, so I cranked one out and hoped for the best."
separable
crank one out
B2 informal separable transitive
To quickly produce a single piece of work, often implying speed over quality.
In plain English
To make or write one thing quickly, usually without spending too much time on it.
What does "crank one out" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 C1 idiomatic slang
(Vulgar slang) To masturbate. Use with extreme caution; inappropriate in most contexts.
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To turn a crank (handle) to mechanically produce one item — like a factory machine making a single unit.
Actually means
To make or write one thing quickly, usually without spending too much time on it.
Usage tip
The 'one' is a pronoun placeholder. Often used humorously or self-deprecatingly about creative work. Also has a vulgar slang meaning (masturbation) — context usually makes the intended sense clear.
Words that pair with "crank one out"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
report email essay song painting article
How to conjugate "crank one out"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
crank one out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
cranks one out
he/she/it
Past simple
cranked one out
yesterday
Past participle
cranked one out
have + pp
-ing form
cranking one out
continuous
Hear "crank one out" in the wild
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Other ways to say "crank one out"
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