The expression “to be screwed” is commonly used today to describe being trapped in a hopeless or disastrous situation. While modern usage feels informal, its etymological roots are surprisingly dark, and literal inside the notorious conditions of 19th-century British prisons.
The phrase originated from a specific form of hard labor known as the crank machine. The machine consisted of a hand-turned crank that forced four large cups or ladles through sand inside a drum.
A common practice to punish prisoners was to have them turn the crank handle for hours, often up to 10,000-15,000 times a day. This was grueling task. To increase the severity of the punishment, prison wardens would tighten a screw on the device, making the handle harder to turn. Any prisoner who was bad or disliked by the prison staff would usually be “screwed.” This practice gave rise to the slang term “screw” for prison wardens and also contributed to expressions such as “to tighten the screw.”
Although the term “to be screwed” or “getting screwed” remained within the prison environment initially, eventually it became widespread in everyday language—carrying its original meaning of being placed in a difficult or punishing situation.
