PULLEY

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does pulley mean? 

• PULLEY (noun)
  The noun PULLEY has 1 sense:

1. a simple machine consisting of a wheel with a groove in which a rope can run to change the direction or point of application of a force applied to the rope

  Familiarity information: PULLEY used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PULLEY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A simple machine consisting of a wheel with a groove in which a rope can run to change the direction or point of application of a force applied to the rope

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

block; pulley; pulley-block; pulley block

Hypernyms ("pulley" is a kind of...):

machine; simple machine (a device for overcoming resistance at one point by applying force at some other point)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "pulley"):

bollock; bullock block (a pulley-block at the head of a topmast)

fairlead (a pulley-block used to guide a rope forming part of a ship's rigging to avoid chafing)

idle pulley; idle wheel; idler pulley (a pulley on a shaft that presses against a guide belt to guide or tighten it)

Holonyms ("pulley" is a part of...):

block and tackle (pulley blocks with associated rope or cable)

 Context examples 

Sometimes we received wine and victuals from below, which were drawn up by pulleys.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

A device consisting of a narrow loop of material moving over shafts or pulleys.

(Belt Device Component, NCI Thesaurus)

The matter was so prearranged that it is my belief that they brought with them some sort of block or pulley which might serve as a gallows.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

When it was there, he gave directions to fasten another cable to the ring fixed in the cover, and to raise up my chest with pulleys, which all the sailors were not able to do above two or three feet.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

They made signs for me to come down from the rock, and go towards the shore, which I accordingly did; and the flying island being raised to a convenient height, the verge directly over me, a chain was let down from the lowest gallery, with a seat fastened to the bottom, to which I fixed myself, and was drawn up by pulleys.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

Nine hundred of the strongest men were employed to draw up these cords, by many pulleys fastened on the poles; and thus, in less than three hours, I was raised and slung into the engine, and there tied fast.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)