pawl
/pɔːl
/noun
1A pivoted curved bar or lever whose free end engages with the teeth of a cogwheel or ratchet so that the wheel or ratchet can only turn or move one way.The drive mechanism may comprise a ratchet and pawl....
- He calls it the pawl, a proper engineering term to go with ratchet.
- Watch out, because pawls and pawl springs can come flying out.
1.1Each of a set of short bars that engage with the whelps and prevent a capstan, windlass, or winch from recoiling.The capstan for raising the anchor was something I hadn't seen before - like a huge rolling pin set across the ship, with wooden pawls to prevent backwards rotation....
- In the tang of a gathering sea breeze, listening to the click of pawls as winches spun, all the Machiavellian intrigue faded.
Origin
Early 17th century: perhaps from Low German and Dutch pal (related to pal 'fixed').