RATCHET

ratchet, rachet, ratch

(noun) mechanical device consisting of a toothed wheel or rack engaged with a pawl that permits it to move in only one direction

ratchet, rachet up, ratchet down

(verb) move by degrees in one direction only; “a ratcheting lopping tool”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

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Etymology 1

Noun

ratchet (plural ratchets)

A pawl, click, or detent for holding or propelling a ratchet wheel, or ratch, etc.

A mechanism composed of a ratchet wheel, or ratch and pawl.

A ratchet wrench.

(by extension) A procedure or regulation that goes in one direction, usually up.

Verb

ratchet (third-person singular simple present ratchets, present participle ratcheting, simple past and past participle ratcheted)

(transitive) To cause to become incremented or decremented.

(intransitive) To increment or decrement.

Etymology 2

Adjective

ratchet (comparative more ratchet, superlative most ratchet)

(US, slang) Ghetto; unseemly, indecorous.

Anagrams

• chatter, traceth

Source: Wiktionary

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Ratch"et, n. Etym: [Properly a diminutive from the same word as rack: cf. F. rochet. See 2d Ratch, Rack the instrument.]

1. A pawl, click, or detent, for holding or propelling a ratchet wheel, or ratch, etc.

2. A mechanism composed of a ratchet wheel, or ratch, and pawl. See Ratchet wheel, below, and 2d Ratch. Ratchet brace (Mech.), a boring brace, having a ratchet wheel and pawl for rotating the tool by back and forth movements of the brace handle.

– Ratchet drill, a portable machine for working a drill by hand, consisting of a hand lever carrying at one end a drill holder which is revolved by means of a ratchet wheel and pawl, by swinging the lever back and forth.

– Ratchet wheel (Mach.), a circular wheel having teeth, usually angular, with which a reciprocating pawl engages to turn the wheel forward, or a stationary pawl to hold it from turning backward.

Note: In the cut, the moving pawl c slides over the teeth in one direction, but in returning, draws the wheel with it, while the pawl d prevents it from turning in the contrary direction.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition

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