/ English Dictionary

RATCHET

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

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

Synonyms:

rachet; ratch; ratchet

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("ratchet" is a kind of...):

mechanical device (mechanism consisting of a device that works on mechanical principles)

Meronyms (parts of "ratchet"):

click; detent; dog; pawl (a hinged catch that fits into a notch of a ratchet to move a wheel forward or prevent it from moving backward)

ratchet wheel (toothed wheel held in place by a pawl or detent and turned by a lever)

Holonyms ("ratchet" is a part of...):

ratchet screwdriver; spiral ratchet screwdriver (a screwdriver with a ratchet (so the blade turns in only one direction) and a spiral in the handle (so the blade rotates) with downward pressure on the handle)

Derivation:

ratchet (move by degrees in one direction only)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Move by degrees in one direction only

Example:

a ratcheting lopping tool

Synonyms:

rachet up; ratchet; ratchet down

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "ratchet" is one way to...):

advance; go on; march on; move on; pass on; progress (move forward, also in the metaphorical sense)

Sentence frame:

Something is ----ing PP

Derivation:

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

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