Pawl
Pawl , noun
[Welsh pawl a pole, a stake. Compare Pole a stake.]
(Machinery) A pivoted tongue, or sliding bolt, on one part of a machine, adapted to fall into notches, or interdental spaces, on another part, as a ratchet wheel, in such a manner as to permit motion in one direction and prevent it in the reverse, as in a windlass; a catch, click, or detent. See Illust. of Ratchet Wheel.
Collocations (2)
Pawl bitt (Nautical) , a heavy timber, set abaft the windlass, to receive the strain of the pawls.
Pawl rim or Pawl ring (Nautical) , a stationary metallic ring surrounding the base of a capstan, having notches for the pawls to catch in.
Pawl , transitive verb
To stop with a pawl; to drop the pawls off.
Collocations (1)
To pawl the capstan , See under Capstan.