Screwdriver vs Spanner - What's the difference?
screwdriver | spanner |
A hand or machine tool which engages with the head of a screw and allows torque to be applied to turn the screw, thus driving it in or loosening it.
A drink made of vodka and orange juice.
(Australian, NZ, British, Irish) A hand tool for adjusting nuts and bolts.
(rare) One who, or that which, spans.
* 1915 , Florence Kiper Frank, The Jew to Jesus: and other poems
(weaponry) A hand tool shaped like a small crank handle, for winding the spring of a wheel lock on a musket.
:* 1786 , Fig. 10. The spanner for spanning or winding up the spring of the wheel lock. — Francis Grose, A Treatise on Ancient Armour and Weapons , page xvi.
(obsolete) A device in early steam engines for moving the valves for the alternate admission and shutting off of the steam.
(UK) A problem, dilemma or obstacle; something unexpected or troublesome (in the phrase spanner in the works )
(British, Irish, mildly, derogatory) A stupid or unintelligent person; one prone to making mistakes, especially in language.
As nouns the difference between screwdriver and spanner
is that screwdriver is a hand or machine tool which engages with the head of a screw and allows torque to be applied to turn the screw, thus driving it in or loosening it while spanner is a hand tool for adjusting nuts and bolts.screwdriver
English
(wikipedia screwdriver)Noun
(en noun)Synonyms
* turnscrew (tool)spanner
English
Noun
(en noun)- Pass me that spanner , Jake; there's just one more nut to screw in.
- The scheme of the spanner of continents and the desire of the little husbandman hoarding for his loved ones...
- Halfway through the production of Macbeth, the director found that the stage was smaller than he expected. This really threw a spanner in the works.
- You spanner , Rodney! I wanted a Chinese, not an Indian!