windlass

[wind-luhs]

noun

1. a device for raising or hauling objects, usually consisting of a horizontal cylinder or barrel turned by a crank, lever, motor, or the like, upon which a cable, rope, or chain winds, the outer end of the cable being attached directly or indirectly to the weight to be raised or the thing to be hauled or pulled; winch.

verb (used with object)

1. to raise, haul, or move (a load) by means of a windlass.

windlass

/ ˈwɪndləs /

noun

1. a machine for raising weights by winding a rope or chain upon a barrel or drum driven by a crank, motor, etc

verb

1. (tr) to raise or haul (a weight, etc) by means of a windlass

Word History and Origins

Origin of windlass¹

1350–1400; Middle English wind ( e ) las < Old Norse vindāss, equivalent to vinda to wind ² + āss beam

Word History and Origins

Origin of windlass¹

C14: from Old Norse vindáss, from vinda to _wind ² + ass pole; related to Old French guindas, Middle Low German, Dutch windas

Example Sentences

According to the museum, a large wooden windlass - a type of winch - that staff from Ludington State Park found a few years ago may also be from the same wreck.

Read more on Washington Times

Our seminar was making a windlass, a kind of winch used to raise an anchor.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

As he cranked the windlass, Neal asked, “How do we know when to stop?”

Read more on The New Yorker

Then, to make matters worse, when David tried to pull up the anchor, he somehow got his pinky finger caught in the windlass, breaking the bone and cutting it badly enough to require stitches.

Read more on Washington Times

Image: Paul G. Allen An image shot from a remotely operated vehicle shows wreckage which appears to be one of the two anchor windlass mechanisms from the forecastle of the ship.

Read more on The Verge