pulley

American  

[pool-ee] / ˈpʊl i /

noun

• pulleys
  plural

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.

3. 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.

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pulley British  

/ 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

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

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pulley Scientific  

/ pl′ē /

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.

2. See also block and tackle

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• pulleyless
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• pulleys
  plural

Etymology

Origin of pulley

1275–1325; Middle English poley, puly < Middle French polie ≪ Medieval Greek *polídion little pivot, equivalent to pól ( os ) pole ² + -idion diminutive suffix

Explanation

A pulley is a basic device or machine made of a wheel with a rim that a cord or rope fits around. The wheel and axle of a pulley make it easier to lift heavy objects with the rope. Ships and sailboats use pulleys — though they're often called drums — to make raising the sails less difficult. Flagpoles also have pulleys for raising and lowering the flag, many garage doors work by a pulley system, and loading docks and constructions sites use pulleys for lifting heavy things. Pulley comes from the Old French polie, with a Greek root of polidion, or "little pivot."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pulley pulleys

Prior to the police operation, most of the miners were only able to get underground through a makeshift pulley system operated by people at the surface.

From BBC ● Jan. 17, 2025

I saw my patient had opened the door by using a pulley in his mouth.

From New York Times ● Jun. 19, 2024

They had watched the situation spiral as the protesters stood their ground, refusing to abandon Hamilton Hall and using a pulley system to bring supplies into the building they had occupied.

From Seattle Times ● May 1, 2024

A pulley, a bucket, a smartphone and an e-SIM: this is how a “network tree” is built in Gaza.

From Salon ● Mar. 21, 2024

LeVisqueux attached a pulley to a pinion he’d staked into the cave floor, then looped a cord through the pulley’s wheels.

From "The Smartest Kid in the Universe" by Chris Grabenstein

Nepal’s Tourism Board on Saturday shared on its Facebook page a list of equipment requested by the local authorities in Rasuwa district, including body bags, pulleys and personal protective equipment.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 29, 2026

His trips also revealed ornate loom pulleys and pottery, challenging stereotypes that African art is "limited to masks and figures", Oberhofer added.

From Barron's ● Jan. 16, 2026

A system of pulleys allows children on the ground to hoist food to kids above.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 14, 2026

The compound bow features mechanical pulleys, telescopic sights and release aids to assist accuracy.

From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2024

From these bars they now hung pulleys wound with strong, thin cord, and at the ends of the cords they fastened hooks, which they slipped into the oval-shaped holes in the block and pulled taut.

From "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH" by Robert C. O'Brien