winch

1 of 2

noun

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

Illustration of winch
  • winch 1

winch

2 of 2

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
View Photos The '24 Colorado ZR2 Bison still gets exclusive AEV add-ons such as wider fender flares, a full-width steel front bumper with a winch accommodation, and a rear bumper with steel corner plates. Eric Stafford, Car and Driver, 1 June 2023 An engineer company with cranes and winches and more than a hundred people can deploy an LSB in a few hours. David Axe, Forbes, 3 May 2023 Further options include an engine-bay snorkel, a front bull bar, a winch, and the addition of rear jump seats. Michael Van Runkle, Robb Report, 14 Feb. 2024 The kiosk then uses a winch to hoist the character onto a platform, where electromagnets help stabilize its feet. IEEE Spectrum, 11 Feb. 2024 Unlike the standard Bronco, the Ranger Raptor is not available with a bumper that supports a winch. Carlos Lago, Car and Driver, 11 May 2023 In independent testing, CBS News found that even a banquet chair could pass the only test required for the standard — putting a brace across a seat, attaching it to a winch and pulling. Kris Van Cleave, CBS News, 17 Jan. 2024 On Saturday, Greenpeace activists boarded the Coco and climbed a winch used to lower equipment to the ocean. Todd Woody, Fortune, 28 Nov. 2023 The slabs were being placed by a winch visible on the Egyptian side of the crossing, the official said. Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN, 14 Oct. 2023
Verb
After the tether reaches its maximum length, the ground station winches the kite back in. IEEE Spectrum, 16 Jan. 2024 Each drone carried an AED in a basket that could be winched down from an altitude of 30 meters. IEEE Spectrum, 7 Dec. 2023 The builder and woodworker Mark Ellison (part of a construction team that also included Adam Marelli and Bob Chan) helped engineer the staircase and created a bespoke contraption for winching heavy canvases up its center. Alice Newell-Hanson, New York Times, 21 Sep. 2023 Hampered by the darkness, the army switched to a different tactic: Constructing a pulley system and winching out the remaining survivors by hand, one by one. Mushtaq Yusufzai, NBC News, 23 Aug. 2023 Advanced vehicles like the U.S. Navy’s CURV-21 can dive to 20,000 feet underwater and can use gripper arms to delicately thread straps and lifting lines to objects so they can be winched to the surface by cranes aboard a salvage ship. Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 22 June 2023 Footage on social media showed the child being winched to safety on a helicopter by a rope — the outline of his white shalwar kameez, traditional pants and long top, swinging against rows of towering green trees below. Salman Masood, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2023 When the rescues began at last, at least one child who was plucked out of the car could be seen in video footage hanging at the end of a cable as he was winched up to the aircraft. Riaz Khan and Munir Ahmed, Anchorage Daily News, 22 Aug. 2023 The two were winched to the helicopter and transported to a Swedish hospital but later died. Chris Pandolfo, Fox News, 1 July 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'winch.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of winch was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near winch

Cite this Entry

“Winch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/winch. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

winch

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

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