#1 screw up v. make more intense; "Emotions were screwed up". wn #2 screw up v. make a mess of, destroy or ruin; "I botched the dinner and we had to eat out"; "the pianist screwed up the difficult passage in the second movement". wn #3 screw up v. screw or turn higher. wn #4 screw up v. twist into a strained configuration; "screw up one's face". wn