wingnut
Meaning
A nut with a pair of projections for the fingers to turn it, used especially in furniture.
(informal, chiefly North American) A person with extreme or fanatical political views.
Structure
Usage
Tighten the wingnut by hand until the leg feels secure.
The debate was derailed by a few wingnuts shouting conspiracy theories.
You'll need a wingnut to assemble the bookshelf according to the instructions.
Etymology
The term 'wingnut' is a transparent compound formed within Modern English from two native Germanic elements. The first element, 'wing', draws on the familiar shape of a bird's wing to metaphorically describe the two flat, projecting tabs on the fastener, which allow it to be turned by hand. The second element, 'nut', specifies its functional category as a threaded fastener. The slang meaning, originating in late 20th-century American English, is a metaphorical extension, likening a person with rigid, extreme views to a fixed mechanical part that is difficult to turn or change.
Analysis
- wing: From Old English wenge (wing of a bird), of Germanic origin. In this compound, it functions metaphorically to denote a projecting, wing-like part. - nut: From Old English hnutu, of Germanic origin. It functions as the core element, specifying the object is a type of fastener.