Added 9 October 2026
winch
/wɪnt͡ʃ/ noun
In Latin: sucula Wiktionary
noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about winch at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
- A machine consisting of a drum on an axle, a friction brake or ratchet and pawl, and a crank handle or prime mover (often an electric or hydraulic motor), with or without gearing, to give increased mechanical advantage when hoisting or hauling on a rope or cable.
- A hoisting device used for loading or unloading cargo, or for pulling in lines.
- A wince (machine used in dyeing or steeping cloth).
verb
verb
- To wince; to shrink
- To kick with impatience or uneasiness.
verb
Origin
From Middle English wynche, from Old English winċe, from Proto-Germanic *winkijǭ, ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European *weng- (“to bow, bend, arch, curve”), whence also wink.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)