pawl

American  

[pawl] / pɔl /

noun

1. a pivoted bar adapted to engage with the teeth of a ratchet wheel or the like so as to prevent movement or to impart motion.

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verb (used with object)

1. to check or hold with a pawl.

pawl British  

/ pɔːl /

noun

1. a pivoted lever shaped to engage with a ratchet wheel to prevent motion in a particular direction

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Etymology

Origin of pawl

First recorded in 1620–30, pawl is from the Dutch word pal ratchet

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pawl

The issue is believed to be caused by insufficient lifting force of the parking pawl, a device that locks the transmission.

From New York Times ● Sep. 19, 2022

“If the parking pawl does not engage, an affected vehicle may move after placing the shifter into ‘Park,’” the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report said.

From New York Times ● Sep. 19, 2022

The company says a transmission parking pawl may not engage when the trucks are shifted into park.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 15, 2022

Toyota’s engineers were adamant, however, and the pawl was put into the RAV4 EV.

From BusinessWeek ● Aug. 7, 2014

There’s a mining shaft right over here—windlass with a ratchet wheel and a pawl.

From Stepsons of Light by Eugene Manlove Rhodes

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