ratchet

¹ American  

[rach-it] / ˈrætʃ ɪt /

noun

1. a toothed bar with which a pawl engages.

2. (not in technical use) a pawl or the like used with a ratchet or ratchet wheel.

3. a mechanism consisting of such a bar or wheel with the pawl.

4. ratchet wheel.

5. a steady progression up or down.

   the upward ratchet of oil prices.

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verb (used with or without object)

1. to move by degrees (often followed by up ordown ).

   to ratchet prices up;

   Interest rates have been ratcheting downward.

ratchet ² American  

[rach-it] / ˈrætʃ ɪt /

Also ratched

adjective

Slang.

1. flashy, unrefined, etc.; low-class.

   ratchet girls wearing too much makeup.

2. exhibiting or affirming low-class traits in a way that is considered authentic.

   Better to stay a ratchet bitch than become a bougie poser like her.

3. extremely good; awesome.

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ratchet British  

/ ˈrætʃɪt /

noun

1. a device in which a toothed rack or wheel is engaged by a pawl to permit motion in one direction only

2. the toothed rack or wheel forming part of such a device

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verb

1. to operate using a ratchet

2. to increase or decrease, esp irreversibly

   electricity prices will ratchet up this year

   Hitchcock ratchets up the tension once again

Usage

What else does ratchet mean? Ratchet is a slang term that can mean "exciting" or "excellent," often used as a term of empowerment among women. Some may also use ratchet for when they are feeling "bad" in some way.The term has been previously used, however, as an insult characterizing a woman as being "overdramatic" or "promiscuous."

Other Word Forms

• ratchetness noun

Etymology

Origin of ratchet¹

First recorded in 1650–60; alteration of French rochet; Middle French rocquet “a blunt lance-head,” from Germanic; compare Old High German rocko, roccho “distaff”

Origin of ratchet¹

First recorded in 1990–95; from a dance and genre of hip-hop music originating in Shreveport, Louisiana

Example Sentences

Yet the anxiety of investors could ratchet up again and spill over into stocks and bonds if employment and inflation take a turn for the worse.

From MarketWatch

A ratcheting up of tensions could cause rates to rise even more.

From Barron's

Chinese officials directed a rhetorical fusillade at Ms. Takaichi, and have ratcheted up economic pressure by discouraging Chinese tourism to Japan and restricting rare-earth mineral exports.

From The Wall Street Journal

As tech companies’ appetite for data centers ratchets up demand for fiber-optic cables, drillers, linemen and splicers are pulling in soaring pay nationwide.

From The Wall Street Journal

Tech companies’ voracious appetite for data centers is ratcheting up demand further, with the need for millions more miles of cables.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• disk
• drum
• roller