winch

Everyday

1. A machine with a rope or a chain wound round a turning drum, used to lift or pull heavy things. tree →
2. (verb) To lift or pull something with a winch. tree →
3. (verb, Scotland, informal) To go out with someone as a boyfriend or girlfriend; a different, Scots sense. tree →

In the lessons

In science and design-technology lessons, a winch is a simple machine using a wheel and axle: turning a big handle makes it easier to lift a heavy load. In the news, rescue helicopters winch people to safety, and tow trucks winch cars out of ditches. Wells once used a winch to raise buckets of water. Phrases: "winch up", "winch to safety", "winch out".

Examples

• The helicopter winched the climber to safety. tree →
• We built a winch from a cotton reel and a pencil. tree →
• The tow truck used its winch to pull the car out of the mud. tree →
• The sailors winched up the anchor. tree →
• An old winch lifted the bucket out of the well. tree →
• The bigger the handle on a winch, the easier it is to turn. tree →

Note

Countable: a winch, plural winches. Regular verb: winched. Do not confuse with "wench" (an old word for a young woman, now rude or old-fashioned) or "flinch". A winch is a type of wheel-and-axle simple machine.