WINDLASS

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does windlass mean? 

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

1. lifting device consisting of a horizontal cylinder turned by a crank on which a cable or rope winds

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

 Dictionary entry details 

• WINDLASS (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Lifting device consisting of a horizontal cylinder turned by a crank on which a cable or rope winds

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

winch; windlass

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

lifting device (a device for lifting heavy loads)

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

capstan (a windlass rotated in a horizontal plane around a vertical axis; used on ships for weighing anchor or raising heavy sails)

yard donkey; yarder (a winch (or system of winches) powered by an engine and used to haul logs from a stump to a landing or to a skid road)

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

ship (a vessel that carries passengers or freight)

 Context examples 

Three days I worked on that windlass.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

He drew his moulinet from his girdle, and fixing it to the windlass, he drew back the powerful double cord until it had clicked into the catch.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

And then there was the windlass!

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

Maud made fast and returned to the windlass.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

I was growing to have faith in that windlass, for it gave me power beyond all expectation.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

It never gave the satisfaction the old windlass had given, but it worked and made my work possible.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

Wolf Larsen had sat about, listening to my repairing the windlass and talking with Maud and me upon indifferent subjects.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

And at the end of three days I had a windlass which worked clumsily.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

Carrying the boom-tackle to the windlass, I hoisted the mast nearly clear of the deck.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

Making this tackle fast, I took to the windlass the shears-tackle (which was connected with the end of the boom), and with a few turns had the mast perpendicular and clear.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)