pulley

[ pool-ee ]
See synonyms for pulley on Thesaurus.com
noun,plural pul·leys.
  1. a wheel, with a grooved rim for carrying a line, that turns in a frame or block and serves to change the direction of or to transmit force, as when one end of the line is pulled to raise a weight at the other end: one of the simple machines.

  2. a combination of such wheels in a block, or of such wheels or blocks in a tackle, to increase the force applied.

  1. a wheel driven by or driving a belt or the like, used to deliver force to a machine, another belt, etc., at a certain speed and torque.

Origin of pulley

1
1275–1325; Middle English poley, puly<Middle French polie ≪ Medieval Greek *polídion little pivot, equivalent to pól(os) pole2 + -idion diminutive suffix

Other words from pulley

  • pul·ley·less, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use pulley in a sentence

  • Elaborate poses are often held with the help of pulleys, pillows, and other props.

    Live Nude Girl Bares All | Lizzie Stark | February 20, 2009 | THE DAILY BEAST
  • Most persons have seen a ship, and know the way in which the yards are moved, and the sails squared by means of ropes and pulleys.

    Gospel Philosophy | J. H. Ward
  • These pulleys were rigged with cords, one end of which was made fast to the upper part of the bed.

    Charles Duran | The Author of The Waldos
  • The purpose of this appliance is to provide a horizontal shaft upon which pulleys or driving gears may be mounted.

  • They suddenly let down the portcullis, which they had raised somewhat by pulleys, and thus closed up the gateway.

British Dictionary definitions for pulley

pulley

/ (ˈpʊlɪ) /


noun
  1. a wheel with a grooved rim in which a rope, chain, or belt can run in order to change the direction or point of application of a force applied to the rope, etc

  2. a number of such wheels pivoted in parallel in a block, used to raise heavy loads

  1. a wheel with a flat, convex, or grooved rim mounted on a shaft and driven by or driving a belt passing around it

Origin of pulley

1
C14 poley, from Old French polie, from Vulgar Latin polidium (unattested), apparently from Late Greek polidion (unattested) a little pole, from Greek polos axis

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for pulley

pulley

[ pulē ]


  1. A machine consisting of a wheel over which a pulled rope or chain runs to change the direction of the pull used for lifting a load. Combinations of two or more pulleys working together reduce the force needed to lift a load. See also block and tackle.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.