SINCE 1828

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1

winch

noun \ ˈwinch \

Updated on: 23 May 2018

Definition of winch

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)

See winch defined for English-language learners

See winch defined for kids

Recent Examples of winch from the Web

Delray Beach firefighters had to use a winch to pull the vehicles apart to get to the minivan, but the Raschiotto siblings and her children were already dead, Delray Beach police spokeswoman Dani Moschella said at the time.

— linda trischitta, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Fatal Delray Beach crash led to 'loss of his entire family at the same exact moment'," 8 May 2018
Claire Wiley, 13, was one of the grinders, cranking the winches to keep the Merloe gliding along like an elegant sea gull.

— hillary davis, latimes.com, "Junior sailors learn the ropes on big fast yacht as it preps for Newport to Ensenada race," 26 Apr. 2018
An electric winch hidden in the ceiling can lower it for replacing bulbs.

— judy rose, Detroit Free Press, "Lake Huron home, built by Carhartt granddaughter, rustic and elegant," 5 May 2018
Dozens made it through a barbed-wire barrier about 30 yards inside Gaza territory, deploying wire cutters, hooks and winches.

— New York Times, "Plan to Storm Fence Gets Bloody Preview in Gaza," 27 Apr. 2018
Its winches could send 800-pound bags of anthracite along cables.

— tim prudente, Washington Post, "Baltimore-bound USS Cyclops vanished 100 years ago. Its fate remains a mystery.," 15 Mar. 2018
Benny’s Tow Service came from Chester and fished us out with a hook and a winch.

— rachel aviv, The New Yorker, "Black Ice, Near-Death, and Transcendence on I-91," 2 Apr. 2018
Have sufficient electrical power to operate winches and exterior lights.

— Indianapolis Star, "Bloomington Police get OK from mayor to purchase armored vehicle," 29 Mar. 2018
The front skid plate doubles as a sturdy mounting point for a winch.

— andrew wendler, Car and Driver, "Volkswagen Atlas Tanoak Pickup Concept: It Could Happen!," 29 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'winch.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Illustration of winch

Origin and Etymology of winch

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

2

winch

verb

Definition of winch

transitive verb

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

—

wincher

noun

Recent Examples of winch from the Web

On shore, winches like the ones that raise and lower the sails can also generate electricity to charge cellphones.

— jimmy golen, The Christian Science Monitor, "Global sailing race spotlights plastic pollution in oceans," 18 May 2018
On shore, winches like the ones that raise and lower the sails can also generate electricity to charge cellphones.

— Washington Post, "Round-the-world sailing race works to protect its racetrack," 18 May 2018
Marshalls can be seen running to his side before the Mitsubishi is winched onto a recovery truck and taken away.

— Fox News, "Racing driver survives dramatic 100 mph rollover wreck," 11 Apr. 2018
Emergency services dispatched a paramedic from the helicopter, who winched down to the man’s location before transporting him to a hospital in nearby Nelson.

— michael bartiromo, Fox News, "Injured hunter rescued after guiding helicopter to location in dense forest," 2 Apr. 2018
Disabled motor vehicle, Springdale Lane: A tow truck driver got stuck in the snow while winching out an Uber driver around 3 a.m. on March 9.

— thomas jewell, cleveland.com, "Unruly juveniles, dogs, weather: Moreland Hills police blotter," 16 Mar. 2018
In a major success story for NIOSH's Research to Practice initiative, all three major manufacturers in the Northwest now provide E-Stops as standard features on their new seine winches.

— laine welch, Anchorage Daily News, "Why aren’t more fishermen using this life-saving device?," 25 Feb. 2018
Hazra and the guides made their way to the icy landing spot above Camp 2, where a helicopter winched Hazra to Base Camp.

— author: john branch, Anchorage Daily News, "Deliverance from 27,000 feet: The journey home for 2 climbers who perished on Everest," 19 Dec. 2017
In a rescue recorded by the Turkish authorities, a helicopter winched people to safety near Bademli, on the coast near the island of Lesbos, Greece.

— megan specia, New York Times, "Turkish Coast Guard Rescues Stranded Migrants by Helicopter," 14 Dec. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'winch.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of winch

1529

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

WINCH Defined for English Language Learners

winch

noun

Definition of winch for English Language Learners

: a machine that has a rope or chain and that is used for pulling or lifting heavy things

WINCH Defined for Kids

winch

noun \ ˈwinch \

Definition of winch for Students

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

Learn More about winch

See words that rhyme with winch Spanish Central: Translation of winch Nglish: Translation of winch for Spanish speakers

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