differential windlass

noun

a pair of hoisting drums of different diameter turning at the same rate, such that a pulley suspended below them on a line wound on the larger drum and unwound from the smaller drum is raised with mechanical advantage.

QUIZZES

Discover The Influence Of Portuguese On English Via This Quiz!

We’ve gathered some interesting words donated to English from Portuguese … as well as some that just don’t translate at all. Do you know what they mean?

Question 1 of 11

Which of the following bird names traces its immediate origin to Portuguese?

owl

crow

piranha

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Words nearby differential windlass

differential rate, differential stain, differential topology, differential ureteralcatheterization test, differential weathering, differential windlass, differentiate, differentiation, differentiator, difficile, difficult

Also called Chinese windlass.

British Dictionary definitions for differential windlass

differential windlass

noun

a windlass employing the velocity ratio incurred in unwinding from a small drum while winding onto a larger drum rotating at a common speedAlso called: Chinese windlass

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