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

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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

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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

A cable and pulley assembly: pulls the shuttle back down the catapult for the next launch.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2026

As of 1:55 p.m., rescuers had removed dirt down to the trapped man’s thigh but needed to remove more before hoisting him out of the trench using a pulley system, Scott said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 5, 2024

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

From New York Times ● Jun. 19, 2024

“A lot of people like to store their lily pads from boating on a hoist,” pulley system, she says.

From Seattle Times ● May 17, 2024

Annabeth and Tyson were having no luck with the release pulley.

From "The Sea of Monsters" by Rick Riordan

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

The bears lived in a treehouse surrounded by innovative systems of rigs and pulleys.

From Salon ● Jan. 20, 2025

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

From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2024

His dad bought him a bunch of supplies the week school ended—lengths of two-by-four, pulleys and screws, and sheets of weather-treated plywood—but Charlie didn’t choose a tree for three whole weeks.

From "Please Ignore Vera Dietz" by A.S. King

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