winch

¹

[winch]

noun

1. the crank or handle of a revolving machine.

2. a windlass turned by a crank, for hoisting or hauling.

3. any of various devices for cranking.

4. Textiles.,  Also

   1. any machine equipped with rollers that guide cloth through a dye or finishing solution in an open vat.

   2. a roller between two dyeing vats for passing cloth from one vat to another.

verb (used with object)

1. to hoist or haul (a load) by means of a winch.

winch

²

[winch]

verb (used without object)

Archaic.

1. an archaic variant of wince.

winch

¹

/ wɪntʃ /

noun

1. a windlass driven by a hand- or power-operated crank

2. a hand- or power-operated crank by which a machine is driven

verb

1. (tr; often foll by up or in) to pull (in a rope) or lift (a weight) using a winch

winch

²

/ wɪntʃ /

verb

1. (intr) an obsolete word for wince 1

Other Word Forms

• wincher noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of winch¹

before 1050; Middle English winche, Old English wince pulley; akin to wench, wince ¹, wink ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of winch¹

Old English wince pulley; related to _wink ¹

Example Sentences

Our beloved Cleo is attached to a complicated system of pulleys, winches, rope, and steel cables.

Read more on Literature

The robot features four thermal and visible-light cameras, a front blade for pushing vehicles, and a winch for clearing paths.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

A police helicopter arrived within 15 minutes and the two men were winched back to shore but neither could be revived.

Read more on BBC

The footage shows the Terra Nova colonised with sea life, but key features of the wooden ship are still visible including its wheel, winch and mast.

Read more on BBC

A coast guardsman tears up at the memory of carrying a baby in her bare arms as they were winched into a helicopter.

Read more on Los Angeles Times