where does the saying 'screws' come from?

Answer 1

if this is about the prison gaurds it's because of a form of punishment that used to be in prisons. a chair with a screw at the neck. the prisoner was tied/locked in and the screw was turned into the neck into an extremely uncomfortable position. hence screws.

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Answer 2

I know this one!!! Back in the old times of prison punishments, one of the punishments was to make the inmates turn a wheel with a screw in the top that could be turned to tighten up the wheel thus making making it harder to turn (there was no point in turning the wheel except punishment). The prison wardens would turn the screw and, thus, became known as screws.
I know ths for sure as i have just visited a prison (in my work, not as an inmate) and saw one of the wheels with a explaination of what is was and how the term screws originated.

Answer 3

In Victorian jails they made prisoners turn a handle and every hour or so the prison officer would come around and turn the screw to make it harder to turn the handle. Hence the term Screws!

Answer 4

Olden days prison officers used 2 put thum screws on prisoners as a form of punishment

Answer 5

It derives from the old danish 'skroodgz' which was a type of pail that sailors used to throw up in when they were at sea during stormy weather. After a sailor has thrown up in the skroodgz, he would turn it upside down and put it over the head of the man in front of him and turn it in what we would term a screwing fashion.