pawl

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

noun a hinged catch that fits into a notch of a ratchet to move a wheel forward or prevent it from moving backward

17th c., perhaps from Low German or Dutch pal (“catch (mechanism)”), or from either French pal (“stake”) or épaule (“shoulder”).

Then Captain Mayo heard the steady clanking of capstan pawls. — Blow The Man Down: A Romance Of The Coast, Holman Day
A wheel having teeth at certain intervals to catch the end of a pawl or finger. — Practical Mechanics for Boys, James Slough Zerbe
Presently the clink of the pawl began to slow down somewhat and the two bargemen, having got the sails set, joined the toilers at the windlass, but even then there was no great increase of speed. — The blue scarab, R. Austin (Richard Austin) Freeman

detent, click, dog

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