winch

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noun

ˈwinch 

1

: any of various machines or instruments for hauling or pulling

especially : a powerful machine with one or more drums on which to coil a rope, cable, or chain for hauling or hoisting : windlass

2

: a crank with a handle for giving motion to a machine (such as a grindstone)

Illustration of winch

• winch 1

winch

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verb

winched; winching; winches

transitive verb

: to hoist or haul with or as if with a winch

wincher noun

Examples of winch in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Its three 164-foot-high masts support 18,300 square feet of sails, moved by 36 custom bronze winches. —Julia Zaltzman, Robb Report, 16 Dec. 2024

Several thousand feet above the water, the guards in back cranked a winch. —Joshua Hammer, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Dec. 2024

Verb

Moreover, as the ramp winched open, the pilots would have experienced a sudden drop in temperature and heard a deafening roar above the whine of the Skyvan’s engines. —Joshua Hammer, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Dec. 2024

Behind the scenes: The fragile tapestries were winched up and carefully fixed in place along the top. —Claire Reilly, Axios, 17 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English winche roller, reel, from Old English wince; akin to Old English wincian to wink

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1529, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

winch

noun

ˈwinch

: a machine that has a roller on which a rope, cable, or chain is wound for pulling or lifting